Hailstorm
by Koroc
Summary: AU. Ami's mother, Atsuko, isn't who Ami thinks she is. When Ami's mother learns about her Senshi transformation, her life begins to drastically change. R½ SM NKNK crossover, Ami centric
1. Prologue

Quick note for those of you who've seen this in another category: **This story does not exist in any other category but its present category.**

FF.Net allows for you to change the category a fic is in. So one week I can have it posted here, and the next week I can move it in a different category without violating the rules.  


* * *

**Hailstorm**   
http://www.geocities.com/laqjr/myfics/TSL/index.html   
http://www.mediaminer.org/fanfic/view_st.php?id=28098 

* * *

Inspired by Dark Phoneix's story "Who's Your Daddy?"   
http://www.rakhal.com/florestica/dark_phoneix/index.html   
http://tannim.anifics.com/Daddy/Daddy.html

*********************

**Prologue**

***************

Disclaimer

I do not own Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon or Ranma 1/2. Characters used without permission.

The prologue (as of 11/09/02) is a modified version of Dark Phoneix's prologue used with permission (11/21/02).

Acknowledgements

The original idea behind _Who's Your Daddy_ and _Hailstorm_ is courtesy of Rift120, from the Delphi Boards.

***************

Just to be fair, I'll tell you right now that this is a character study of Ami Mizuno, Senshi of Mercury, from Sailor Moon. Though this is a Ranma/BSSM crossover, the Ranma aspect provides more of a backdrop for the main portion of this part of the story.

You have been warned.

***************************

_It all started when..._

***************************

Atsuko Mizuno wearily kicked off her shoes, not bothering to replace them with the soft indoor slippers that waited next to the door. Juban General had been absolutely swamped with victims of the latest monster attack. Though she generally worked with patients who had appointments with Dr. Kisawa, the hospital had been so swamped by ER patients that doctors were literally snagging any staff they came across with some education to help out in stabilizing the situation.

A long, hot bath and a good night's sleep would refresh her depleted reserves of energy, but the trek to the bathroom seemed like an impossible mission. Each step compounded the pain in her aching feet, yet she made it, thankfully. Sluggishly, the woman retrieved a large bath towel from the linen closet and slid open the door to the furo. The room was already filled with a thick blanket of warm, cloudy steam. Through the fog, Atsuko could barely make out the form of her daughter, the pride and joy of her life for the last thirteen and a half years, laid back in the large furo.

By this time, Atsuko would usually have left and let Ami alone to her bath. Bathing together with her daughter was something she avoided doing since Ami was able to bathe on her own. Today, however, tired and weary as she was, Atsuko could not bring herself to leave the bathroom until she'd at least had a few minutes to soak in the warm water. Shedding her uniform, Atsuko walked to one of the shelves over the sink and pulled out a bar of soap, one which she hoarded very carefully and used as sparingly as possible. This soap... with it, she could immerse herself and hide from her reality.

Sitting herself on one of the stools, Atsuko took the time to carefully lather herself with the soap before washing with cold water. Seeing Ami was dozing slightly, she carefully descended into the furo so as not to wake her daughter. Looking down at Ami's sleeping form, Atsuko wondered again at how beautiful her daughter was. She and Ami had grown distant from each other over time. Buying this well-furnished apartment was not really the smartest move with her new job as an underpaid nurse in the nearly-filled-to-bursting General Hospital of Juban, and as such Atsuko often had to work overtime to pay for their slightly indulgent lifestyle. Ami's own studies were likely a result of her mother spending so much time working at the hospital, and Atsuko would have liked for her to go out more often and participate in some sports in conjunction with swimming, but if Ami would rather spend her free time studying at a cram school, Atsuko was going to make sure Ami had the money to study there.

It was only when she had slid down and rest her back against the side of the furo that the woman noticed the state of Ami's bruised and battered form. She gasped, reaching out to the sleeping girl, instinctually checking out the degree of her bruises. Years of experience in treating nearly every form of injury that could possibly be sustained told her that nothing was seriously wrong with Ami. The bruises were already halfway healed, the scratches and small lacerations scabbed over and showing no signs of infection.

Who had done this to her? What kind of monster would attack her daughter? Filled with fear for her daughter's safety, Atsuko pulled Ami close to her and hugged her tightly, feeling all the more certain she had failed to protect the girl and teach her to protect herself.

*********************

Ami woke up with a wince, feeling every one of the injuries she obtained during the struggle with the droid from Chibi-Usa's dream she and the other senshi fought off earlier in the day. Thank all that was holy for accelerated healing, something she seemed to have even when not in her senshi form, much to the chagrin of her teammates.

The girl opened her eyes and squawked in surprise. She was in her mother's arms and the older woman was weeping softly. Oh no, what would she think? Ami shifted slightly, trying to take pressure off of a tender spot near her lower back. The motion caught her mother's attention and Ami found herself the target of a powerful gaze that burned with an internal fire of such intensity, she momentarily wondered if the woman was possessed.

"Ami, who was it? Who did this to you? Just tell me, who?" demanded Atsuko, a severely forceful tone entering into her voice. "He can't hurt you anymore, I promise you." A promise filled with certainty.

Ami's eyes widened in surprise. Her mother thought someone had... oh, hell, she was so screwed.

"M-Mom, you've got the wrong idea. It's nothing like that!" Ami quickly said. How was she going to get out of this without compromising her identity?

Atsuko cradled her closely, not allowing the girl to escape her grasp. Around them the water sloshed and splashed, but neither of them paid it any attention, too caught up in more important matters to care.

"It's okay, Ami. I'm not mad at you. Just tell me who it is, I'll make sure they never do anything again. We'll talk to the authorities, get everything straightened out. Everything will be okay, Ami, I'll make sure this never happens again."

Fearing the fallout of her mother's future misguided actions on her behalf, Ami began to talk, blurting out secrets she'd never even thought about exposing. They were gonna be so mad at her, Ami knew, but sacrifices have to be made every day. Besides, who knew, maybe her mother wouldn't mind having a super hero in the family.

*********************

Author's Notes:

Hmm, well, none of this is really original. Most all of this (as of 11/11/02) is a modified version of Dark Phoneix's own Prologue in "Who's Your Daddy?". Go read it and you'll see what I mean.

Questions, comments, and criticisms are welcome. Email me at laqjr_200@hotmail.com and give me feedback.

Please note: **This story does not exist in any other category but its present category.** By posting this story under this category, I am not violating any rules presently in place.

FF.Net allows for you to change the category a story is in. So one week I can have it posted here, and the next week I can move it to a different category without violating the rules.  



	2. Chapter 1

  


* * *

_The Saotome Legacy_ - **Hailstorm**   
http://www.geocities.com/laqjr/myfics/TSL/index.html   
http://www.mediaminer.org/fanfic/view_st.php?id=28098 

* * *

Inspired by Dark Phoneix's story "Who's Your Daddy?"   
http://www.rakhal.com/florestica/dark_phoneix/index.html   
http://tannim.anifics.com/Daddy/Daddy.html

*********************

**Chapter 1**

***************

Disclaimer

I do not own Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon or Ranma 1/2. Characters used without permission.

Acknowledgements

The original idea behind _Who's Your Daddy_ and _Hailstorm_ is courtesy of Rift120, from the Delphi Boards.

***************************

_Making Changes_

***************************

Walking home wearily and with a bit of trepidation, Ami felt very paranoid about her current situation, the sensation of someone watching her not having left her since early that morning when she arrived at school. She'd been feeling jumpy all day, and nearly told everything to her friends when Usagi snuck up on her at lunch. It wasn't very kind, she supposed, to keep her friends in the dark about revealing her heroic identity, but if her friends knew she told someone, their anger at her dissention may be enough to break the trust held between them.

Perhaps her fear was the cause of her indecision regarding the other Senshi. They all held the same fear in not revealing their identities, and all the other girls had so far complied with the unspoken rule of secrecy. The only breech before now had occurred when Chibi-Usa found the Silver Crystal in Usagi's brooch, and Usagi had to explain to her why she had it.

In any case, Ami wasn't so sure she wanted to go home yet. Her mother had had a very strange reaction to her situation last night. When Ami told the woman that her daughter now fought intergalactic monsters and demons as an extracurricular activity, Atsuko stared at her, some unknown fear coming alight in her eyes. Seemingly entranced by it, the woman slowly spoke, saying, "Happosai."

The whole situation was very eerie. Anxious that her mother may have gone comatose from learning her earlier revelations, Ami gripped her mother's hand and asked her if she was okay. Atsuko looked up at her momentarily, then said she needed to sleep, got out of the furo, and headed out to the changing room.

Ami and her mother never really got along well, more because they were always too busy apart from each other to do anything together than any other reason. Last night, when her mother had found her in the furo and thought that.. _that_ had happened, she'd shown more emotion to Ami than Ami could ever remember seeing her mother show. Then, when she learned the truth, her newly discovered and very emotional mother disappeared, and her more familiar mother, Atsuko Mizuno, returned, weary of her place in life and always troubled by something.

Maybe she wasn't being as fair to her mother as she should have, but for Ami, her mother's timid, distant love was all she really knew of the woman. Her mother often avoided making any emotional connections with people, and Ami never once saw the woman looking at guys or even consider dating one. Ami herself was the closest thing her mother had to a friend, and even then Atsuko did not regularly confide in her.

The fact that Atsuko wasn't her biological mother helped dampen her feelings for the woman, to an extent, but it wasn't by much. Mizuno Atsuko had been there for Ami nearly all her life, far longer than she could remember. Ami met her biological father, once, when she was seven years old. When she found out who the man in her mother's apartment was, she'd asked him why he didn't live with her mother, and he'd said he couldn't let anyone know where he was, or she might be in danger. When Ami asked her mother about the whole thing after the man left, she'd learned that her mother, her biological one, couldn't take care of her, so she'd been passed on to her father. In order to keep her safe, though Ami did not learn from what, she'd been passed on to her father to take care of her, and from there had ended up with Atsuko. Ami had gone to bed angry at her real parents, and acted petulant toward Atsuko for four days, refusing to call the woman her mother. On the fourth day, Atsuko came into her room and hugged her while she cried, and Ami fell asleep and woke up in Atsuko's arms.

Ever since then, Ami found no qualms about calling Atsuko her mother, and the fact that her real father and mother existed elsewhere in the world no longer bothered her. She would live her own life, and her successes would always come because her mother was there for her.

In any case, Ami was home now. Standing in front of the apartment door, Ami again had second thoughts about entering, but finding strength in telling herself nothing too earth-shattering could possibly happen, Ami unlocked the door and entered cautiously.

*********************

Meanwhile...

In Osaka there stood a tall young man wearing a strange combination of yellow and black, his distinguishing trademark colors. Enemies feared his wrath and cringed when he attacked. This man's name is Ryoga Hibiki, and he... was currently lost.

"Which way is it to China?" he asked an old man sweeping in front of his restaurant.

"Hey, ain't you that Hibiki boy? When're you gonna marry my Ukyo?" The man looked closely at him, and Ryoga felt very nervous about the situation. Kuonji-san was one of the few people Ryoga did not need to see right now.

Ever since Ranma disappeared all those years ago, Ryoga's own problems seemed to escalate, and many of Ranma's own predicaments seemed to pass themselves over to him. Truly, this was all Ranma's fault.

Running as fast as he could, Ryoga Hibiki disappeared into the horizon, headed hopefully to where his greatest nemesis lay in wait.

*********************

Hearing the door to the apartment open, Atsuko filed away the paperwork and bills she'd been sorting through and stood up to greet Ami as she entered.

"Tadaima," Ami called softly from the entryway.

"Okaeri-nasai," she called back, then, walking up to her, she said, "Ami, don't take your shoes off yet, we're going out as soon as I put my own shoes on."

"Where are we going?" Ami asked. She seemed worried by something.

"Today we're going to the gym so I can get you started on strengthening your body to handle your new.. occupation." Taking Ami's school books, Atsuko placed them aside on a rack near the entrance before pulling on her running shoes and grabbing a pair of duffel bags near the door.

"The gym! But I have to go to cram school today, and Makoto and Minako and I were going shopping afterward and... I mean..." Ami hung her head and wrung her hands as she trailed off, not sure why she'd spoke to her mother so, so... forcefully.

Ami looked abashed by her outburst, but her mother smiled for her. Resting a palm on Ami's shoulder, Atsuko said, "Don't worry about it, Ami. I've seen you studying so hard all the time. Do you have a test tomorrow you didn't study for? Do you really need to go to cram school today? We could go tomorrow instead, if it's important."

"I don't know," Ami said, looking up at her. "I mean, Minako, and all of us, were going shopping, later... and I don't want to desert them now."

"I'm sure we can get back before they finish shopping. Don't worry so much, they can go a little while without you. Hey, why don't you call one of them and tell them you'll be a bit late? Here, use the cell."

Taking her mother's cell phone, Ami still felt unsure as to whether or not she wanted to go her Mother to the gym.... They hadn't done anything together in a long time, and Atsuko was offering to spend some time with her. Perhaps it would even be fun to work out together.

Maybe her friends would be put off by her being late to go shopping, but it had been a while since she'd gone out and done something with her mother. They'd not done anything together for some time now, and Ami knew she'd look forward to the rest of her day, even if they spent it fighting youma treadmill machines.

*********************

Usagi ran home as quickly as she could, then, after entering, slammed the door shut behind her. Taking off her running shoes, she quickly put on her house slippers while shouting, "Tadaima!"

An answering "Okaerinasai!" resonated from the kitchen before her mother appeared in the doorway. "I thought you were going out for the night, Usagi-chan."

"I was going to, but you know, I changed my mind. I'm going upstairs to my room, call me if you need me!" Usagi said as she ran past the living room.

"Usagi, don't run in the house!" her mother shouted after her.

After entering the safety of her room, Usagi threw herself down on her bed. Today had been a tiring day, and to top it all off, Chibi-Usa was stealing her boyfriend from her without even trying! Mamoru was just humoring the girl, really, but he showed Chibi-Usa much more affection than he'd shown her when she was around. It just wasn't fair!

Not wanting to be disturbed anymore for the evening, Usagi took off her communicator and stuffed it under the t-shirts in her drawer while pulling out some clean clothes for a shower. She never once heard it ring for the rest of the day.

*********************

Ami never really thought her mother's strength building training regimen could be so exhausting. After an initial five minute stretching phase, her mother had her check out the barbells to find one she was comfortable with. Proud that she could comfortably lift a mass of 20kg in each hand (appx 45lb each), Ami did a few repetitions of curls to start out. Afterward, she'd watched her mother demonstrate some specific exercise designed to emphasize certain muscles and then emulated her movements. With her mother spotting her as she relearned the various exercises and used the different machines, Ami felt good about exerting as much as she could into the exercises, encouraged by her mother's presence and enthusiasm.

Now, Ami wasn't so sure if trying so hard was such a good idea. Her arms ached even more than when she sustained bruises from battle, and she felt very fatigued by the workout. Ami wasn't as sure as her mother that working out for an hour and a half every day was actually healthy for her body, but since the woman had been doing this much longer than her, she must have a better idea of how far to push herself before submitting to exhaustion.

Ami and Atsuko left the gym after changing out of their gym garb into more comfortable clothes, jeans and a dark green blouse for Atsuko while Ami wore a beige skirt that came down a little past mid-thigh and a dark red sweater over her t-shirt. They were walking home to the apartment when a scream came from one of the various shops ahead them. The new cake shop was being attacked by a droid on its opening day!

Running toward the source of the scream, Ami found Chibi-Usa, Luna, and Artemis watching the battle between the cake droid and her fellow three Senshi, Jupiter, Mars, and Venus. So far, the droid appeared to be winning. Looking around once to make sure no one but her mother could currently see her, she pulled her transformation pen out and transformed into Sailor Mercury.

"Chibi-Usa," Ami said, walking up to the trio, "you need to take Luna and Artemis and get away from here. Be careful, and stay out of trouble, okay?"

Chibi-Usa turned to her, nodded, picked up both cats, and ran toward the Tsukino household.

"Alright, now to take care of this monster." Walking through the door, Ami took a deep breath, exhaled, struck a pose, then shouted, "Droid, sweets are meant to be savored, eaten for pleasure, not used for destruction. Just as sweets always melt away when placed in water, so will I, Sailor Mercury, wash you away from existence!"

Casting a Shabon Spray to obscure the enemy's vision and give her friends time to escape their sweetened entrapments, Ami took careful stock of the situation. Because they were in the sweets shop, there was not a lot of space available for free movement to dodge. With four of them and one monster, the limited amount of space could as easily be a hindrance as help them.

Suddenly the monster burst forth from the mist, catching her with a rapid fire donut attack. Rolling with the blow, Ami attempted to get as far away from the droid before it could encase her in the icing she'd seen Jupiter and Tuxedo Mask stuck inside of. Just as she was sure the monster would attack her, a shadow dropped down before her, landing a kick on the monster's head and knocking it to the side. The mist cleared then, giving Mercury and the other Senshi a good look at her benefactor. The man was tall, his red Chinese style shirt and black pants tied at waist and ankles looked a bit worn or aged, and his hair was black, pulled back in a ponytail. When the man looked back at her, Ami saw his face clearly, even into his deep blue eyes. She knew this man. Ami could recognize him anywhere.

The man was her father. What was he doing here?

The man turned around to face the droid as it rose from the ground. He watched the thing closely, then backed away so she could get a clear shot at it. Ami understood at once. Either he had no attack or projectile weapon that could hurt the monster, or he felt her own attacks would do better. Either way, he only backed up enough so she could fire at the droid, but Ami could see that her father was close enough that should the cake monster attack, he could easily defend her from it. Another connection was made in her mind, even as she watched the monster rise.

Her father knew who she was. Atsuko must have told him.

The droid attacked again, this time aiming for its new human target with what looked like peppermint candies and cream. Ami saw something glistening behind the droid and looked down at the floor behind it. The droid was leaving tracks behind it wherever it went. Water wasn't just a vulnerability, it actually weakened the droid.

Seeing the man kick the droid away from himself, Ami carefully aimed her attack, then shouted out her attack phrase and shot a sizeable beam of water at the droid.

*********************

The next few moments were very confusing, details nearly impossible to describe because of how little time passed. Ami remembered attacking the droid with her water attack, and her father immediately jumped back and up, then disappeared as if he were an illusion. Venus, Jupiter, and Mars tried simultaneously attacking the droid, but it was still too strong to be destroyed.

"We can't kill it!" shouted Mars.

"Where is Sailor Moon?" Ami asked between dodges. "We can't stop this thing without her!"

"I couldn't get ahold of her," said Jupiter, while preparing another wave of thunder. "I tried the communicator, but she's not answering!"

Sometime during that interval, Ami's father had reappeared. Attacking the droid to keep it occupied, he said, "It can't be killed? I'll take care of it."

He jumped back just as Jupiter let loose another Supreme Thunder Dragon. Taking a stance, he stood silently for a moment before cupping his hands together and shouting, "Moko Takabisha!" And then, a shimmering beam of light shot from him, impacting the droid and completely demolishing it. Ami was close enough to feel the heat of its passing. Having looked at the droid and seen it obliterated by the beam, Ami never saw her father disappear from the scene.

Her father incinerated the droid. No, he completely eradicated it. Was he even human?

Were any of them human?

*********************

Author's Notes:

First chapter's done. I don't really like how the Senshi battle seems chopped up and fed in small bits, nor do I like my poor word choice throughout, but that's how it'll stay for now.

C&C welcome at laqjr_200@hotmail.com 


	3. Chapter 2

  


* * *

_The Saotome Legacy_ - **Hailstorm**   
http://www.geocities.com/laqjr/myfics/TSL/index.html   
http://www.mediaminer.org/fanfic/view_st.php?id=28098 

* * *

Inspired by Dark Phoneix's story "Who's Your Daddy?"   
http://www.rakhal.com/florestica/dark_phoneix/index.html   
http://tannim.anifics.com/Daddy/Daddy.html

*********************

**Chapter 2**

***************

Disclaimer

I do not own Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon or Ranma 1/2. Characters used without permission.

Acknowledgements

The original idea behind _Who's Your Daddy_ and _Hailstorm_ is courtesy of Rift120, from the Delphi Boards.

***************************

_Hypothesis_

***************************

Ami woke up slowly as her mother shook her lightly. Being the Senshi of Mercury could be very taxing, and Usagi's absence in their last battle certainly did not help matters. Her body cried out for sleep, and her eyelids made as to droop as she opened them to see her mother standing next to her bed.

"C'mon, Ami-chan. Time to get up. You need to hurry if you want to be ready for school." Atsuko stood there a moment longer, and Ami wished she hadn't opened her eyes, for they were a sure signal to the other woman that Ami had awoken, meaning there was no way she'd get any extra sleep.

Looking at the clock, Ami saw that her mother woke her an hour earlier than her alarm was set for. She turned on her side to face the wall.

"Oh no you don't," said Atsuko. Ami felt her mother lightly grab her arm and turn her back around. She covered her face from the light in the hall.

"Mother, I still have another hour before I need to get up. Could I please just go back to sleep?" It was a hope beyond hope, really. Atsuko never let her go back to sleep once she woke up unless Ami was too sick to go to school. Of course, with her better-than-average immune system and there being a greater number of lymphocytes in her blood, sick days were a very rare experience for her.

"Ami, if you want to keep on being a Senshi and fighting monsters, you're going to have to show me that you can handle a fight. Today, I'm going to start training you in some martial arts techniques so you can handle yourself easier in a fight. We'll start out slow, no one ever gets things right the first time. After that, I want you to swim a few laps in the pool before getting ready for school. Now come on, get up so I can make your bed while you find some workout clothes." Atsuko made a few motions to gather her blankets, and Ami, resigned to fate and her mother's whims, lifted herself out of bed and gathered a pair of sweatpants she hardly used anymore and a comfortable t-shirt, as well as her grey sports bra, before heading toward the bathroom to wash up. She'd grab her bathing suit on her way out.

*********************

"Mother," Ami spoke while drying off, getting the attention of her mother who was just exiting the pool. "Why did you tell him about my identity?"

"Who did I tell?" her mother asked, genuinely confused by the question.

"My father. He showed up at the last battle, and mother, I could tell he knew my identity. Why else would he have watched over me so carefully?" She stood up then and handed her mother the other towel.

"He wasn't really watching you, you were just the closest to the battle," replied Atsuko, more focused on drying herself thoroughly than their current conversation.

"You did tell him! How else would you know about what happened, or that he even tried to protect me? Why did you tell him? You weren't supposed to tell anyone!" Ami kept her voice low enough to not be overheard, but her tone was still fierce as she questioned her mother's actions.

"What? Hey! I didn't tell anyone anything! Whatever you think happened, it didn't happen."

"I know what I saw. He looked at me, he recognized me. He knew who I was! Who else could have told him?"

"Look, Ami, I know that your secret's important, and I'm sorry, but I can't keep anything a secret from your fath-"

"But why? You didn't have to tell him anything. Or is it part of the fact that you don't trust me to fight? I don't need his help. He's never been here for me before, and I don't need his help now."

"Ami, please, just lis-"

"You told him, didn't you? I trusted you with my secret, and then you went and told him. I'm sorry I trusted you." Ami turned and entered the apartment complex, headed up to their apartment.

"I'm sorry, Ami," Atsuko said once she'd disappeared. "It just isn't that easy anymore."

*********************

Ami tried not to let her weariness show as she walked into the classroom two minutes after the late bell rang. Thankfully, the teacher, Haruna-sensei, hadn't arrived yet. She walked to her desk, overhearing Usagi's rather loud conversation as the girl consulted with Naru and Umino about 'Love Bracelets' and 'Promise Rings,' the newest trends with which people showed how much they cared for others. The idea entranced her friend and leader greatly, and Ami worried briefly whether Usagi's heart would be broken once again when she tries to win back Mamoru's love with the love charm. Such a practical device as one which inspires love simply could not exist.

Haruna-sensei arrived just as she sat down, and class began as usual. Ami rubbed her tired arm to accelerate the blood flow, and her mind wandered toward her mother's peculiar fixation on helping her improve her fighting capacity. When Ami inquired about it before they began, her mother simply explained how she once fought monsters, and when Ami was born she earned the right to teach at a dojo nearby where they lived, and it would make her feel better if Ami fought monsters with some knowledge of martial arts. Ami didn't really believe her mother fought monsters when she was younger, but agreed that knowing how to fight would make fighting in bad situations much easier on her.

It's just that Makoto made everything look so easy!

One of their recent Senshi gatherings had concluded early, and they didn't feel like going home. After some conversation, Makoto had gone outside and began mock-fighting in the yard. Curious, Ami asked her what she was doing, and Makoto explained that she was practicing her fighting style, which included a few attacks she'd learned from Tai-Kwan-Do and a lot of her own improvising from street fighting. It reminded Ami of when her mother once tried to get her interested in martial arts, and Ami made a comment about how dedicated Makoto must be before heading back inside.

If she could move so gracefully and with such ease through the moves that Makoto could perform, Ami would have no problems convincing her mother she knew how to fight. Oh, to be in Makoto's shoes at a time like this...

Time passed much slower that school day, and by last class, Ami sat anticipating the final bell of freedom.

*********************

Entering the house quietly, Ami looked carefully for any sign of her mother. Atsuko had been surprising her almost daily now with different ideas of 'training,' and after her own outburst earlier that morning, Ami thought it would be in her best interest if her mother did not find her.

To her relief, a note sat on the counter saying she would be home late again. Ami let out a quiet sigh, then headed to the kitchen for a snack before going to find Makoto and Usagi at the crafts store.

The last few days after the droid attacked the sweets and cake shop had quickly passed, and during that time, Ami had not once remembered to question Usagi as to why she had never shown up for their last battle. On the good side, there had not been a droid attack in a few days, so she and the other Senshi had a chance to recuperate. Unfortunately, that also meant Usagi had plenty of time to see Mamoru, and Usagi's wail had become a near constant sound at their Senshi meetings.

Okay, so that was an exaggeration of the situation, but the girl was simply too deeply affected by Mamoru's callous rejection. Ami would never let herself act that way because of a boy. Just the thought of dating flustered her too much to even continue the line of thought.

Ami quickly changed out of her school uniform, siphoned a few hundred yen from her savings, then walked out of the apartment and locked the door behind her.

*********************

"Thanks for coming with me, you guys," Usagi said as they walked toward the crafts room.

From Usagi's other side, Makoto said, "No problem, Usagi, and besides, with these Love bracelets, maybe Ami and I could catch ourselves some good looking guys. What do ya say, Ami? How about we test them at the mall later on to see if they work?"

Ami blushed heavily at Makoto's suggestion, but before she could reply, Usagi spoke up.

"Hey, we're here!" she said, just before opening the door to the classroom.

What followed was an amusing turn of events as Ami, Makoto, Naru, and Umino (they were both attending the class, as well) attempted to help Usagi create a trinket with at least a vague resemblance of the Love Bracelet. Even the crafts leader could not help her overcome her clumbsiness.

"Usagi, no, the thread goes through here."

"Here, see? Twine the strings like this."

"The shape's wrong, Tsukino-san, here, use this one and try it again."

"Usagi, wait, that's not gonna work!"

*********************

After two long hours, the class finally ended, leaving them to split their separate ways. Makoto excused herself, saying she had things to take care of at home, and Ami used that time to sneak away toward the library. After reading a few pages of a book on projective geometry, she decided that the day was late and her mother would be home soon. So saying, Ami left the library and walked toward home.

Taking one of the shorter routes toward home, Ami happened to pass by Mamoru's apartment complex, where she saw Chibi-Usagi waiting outside and sitting at the fountain of water with Luna-P, her little all-purpose cat-ball device.

"Hey, Chibi-Usa, what are you doing here alone at night? Isn't Usagi supposed to be watching you?"

"Hmm? Oh, hi, Ami. I followed Usagi here, she's trying to talk to Mamoru. She says she's finally figured out what's wrong, but she wouldn't tell me what it was. She's been up there a long time, though. Maybe she was right this time."

"Hey, what's that on your wrist?" Ami asked. Usagi just came into her view from the building, and it looked like she was crying again.

"It's a promise ring, like the one Usagi's trying to make."

"I thought they were called Love Bracelets. Isn't that what it's called?"

"No way! It's just called a love bracelet because couples give them to their dates as a gift. Mine is a Promise Ring because I got it from a-_hhhaaaa_!" 

As Ami watched, the bracelet became wringed with dark power and sucked away at Chibi-Usagi's energy. Taking hold of the decoration, she pulled at it until it came off, then threw it into the fountain. Usagi ran up to them just as the bracelet fully submerged.

"What happened? Are you okay? Chibi-Usa, what happened to you?"

"It's the bracelet," said Ami, cutting the younger girl off before she could speak.

"The arts class!" Usagi shouted, before breaking out into a run for the school. Ami followed quickly behind her, while Chibi-Usagi left to tell Mamoru.

Arriving on the roof of the school only a few moments after Usagi, she quickly transformed and prepared to battle the droid creating the crystal point.

"Hold it right there!" shouted Usagi, already transformed into Sailor Moon. "Promise Rings are for showing your respect and love for others, and to show them how much you care for them! For daring to use them to create dark energy, in the name of the moon, I will punish you!"

Ami stepped forward, as Sailor Mercury, and said, "Arts and crafts are fun ways to learn how to build trinkets and to spend time with friends! For defiling this class of arts and crafts, I, Sailor Mercury, will punish you!"

The droid made no speech for itself that Ami could recall, but it did attack them with energized rings. Dodging to the side, Mercury watched them fly past and tear a chunk out of the wall of the school. Usagi tripped backward in her haste to avoid the projectiles, and the ring sailed over her head, disappearing beneath the building.

Its next projectile shattered from the rose which imbedded itself in the ring, and they all looked over to see Tuxedo Mask standing there ready to make a speech.

"Promise rings represent the purest form of love in a girl's heart. For tampering with a heart's purity, I, Tuxedo Mask, will not forgive you!"

The droid wasted no time in sending projectiles his way, but Tuxedo Mask had no problem in avoiding them. These projectiles were different, though, as they glowed with gathered energy before disappearing, then turned in the air and headed back toward the roof. Ami tried to freeze them with her attacks, but could not get them all.

A Fire Soul from Sailor Mars saved Tuxedo Mask from harm, and between Usagi, Tuxedo Mask, herself, and the three newly arrived Senshi, they were able to surround and weaken the droid with their attacks. Sailor Moon blasted the droid with Moon Princess Halation, and the droid was destroyed.

"O-hohohohoho! Do you really think you can stop me from activating the Black Gate and releasing the zyakozushou?" said Esmeraude, the green-haired woman identified as their newest foe. "It is only a matter of time before the power of the black crystal is freed, and then the world will be filled with evil, and Crystal Tokyo will never come to exist! This is not over yet, Sailor Senshi!" Esmeraude vanished.

"Do not lose heart, Sailor Moon," said Tuxedo Mask, once they were sure Esmeraude was gone. "Though there are many problems still ahead of you, it is your duty to protect this city, as well as the future of Crystal Tokyo. I, too, will be a grand participant in the many events to follow." Tuxedo Mask walked away, fading slowly into the night.

"What are you waiting for, meatball head?" Rei asked after they de-transformed. "Haven't you figured out what's wrong between you yet? Hurry up and go to him, before he's gone! He wants you to go to him just as much as you want him to come back, so just go!"

Ami and the others shared a smile as they watched Usagi, their leader and best friend, run off to make up with the man that she loves.

*********************

Author's Notes:

Hey, if you're reading this, don't forget to review the story! Reviews are really cool! Please?

C&C welcome at laqjr_200@hotmail.com


	4. Chapter 3

  


* * *

[Ranma/SM/CCG][3rd Draft]

Hailstorm - Chapter 3

by Laqjr

* * *

Disclaimer

I do not own Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon or Ranma 1/2. Characters used without permission.

Acknowledgements

The original idea behind _Who's Your Daddy_ and _Hailstorm_ is courtesy of Rift120, from the Delphi Boards.

* * *

_Sinking into the Depths_

* * *

Ami walked slowly down Yamano Street, pondering the events of the last few days. It seemed an epidemic spread across Tokyo nearly overnight, and most people were sick in bed for their second or third day. Though Ami did have a few of the symptoms of the quickly spreading sickness, she was not so unwell as to be unable to attend school. However, the school closed early due to the overwhelming number of absent staff, so she headed to the library to see if it remained open.  
  
The last few days were uncomfortable for Ami. Her mother still woke her up early every day, and every day the woman would show her some new way to hold herself, make an attack, or defend herself, and expect her to remember each stance or movement by making her practice them all in different kata. This all forewent the fact that Atsuko always left her some strange task or extra training regimen to perform, and because of the last droid attack only four days ago and the plague saturated city, her mother rarely came home before midnight anymore. Yet despite this, if Ami did not perform the extra training prescribed by her mother, Atsuko made her swim twice as many laps (or more), or assigned her some other exercise likely designed solely to exhaust her.  
  
Training under Atsuko was not for the weak in health.  
  
Though Ami saw her mother every morning when the older woman woke her up for training, Ami could not bring herself to dredge up the argument between them to apologize for her behavior. The time just seemed inappropriate for meaningful discussion.  
  
The truth of the matter was Ami felt scared of her father. Before, the man had no meaning in her life, being someone who she never knew, never met, and probably never would see. Now, he knew her secret, which not only meant he knew about her and where she lived, he also knew one of her deepest secrets, placing her in his mercies. What if he told someone her secret? What if he used her secret against her?  
  
Really, it was an irrational fear, but years of not knowing her father and never having thought of him left Ami with no idea of what to do now that he reentered her life. Partially, anyway. He still hadn't shown up at the apartment, and Ami so far only saw him at the youma battle, but she knew he'd be showing up more often now that he fancied himself her protector. He made that obvious to her when he shielded her from the droid's attacks at the cake shop. And he's standing in that abandoned lot across the street, too, so-  
  
Ami quickly hid behind the corner of the building next to the abandoned lot- the next intersection read 35th Street- and carefully inched around the corner to see what he was up to. A dirty and unkempt man, harried from days of travel, stood before him, carrying a huge travel pack and holding an umbrella that went out of style long ago, shouting some sort of challenge. Her father's clothes appeared damp, but no open water sources were nearby.... What were they doing? Ami stepped out from behind the building to find out more from them, decreasing the displacement between them and herself.  
  
The travel worn man shouted, "You can't hide anymore, Ranma! This is for abandoning your fiancées!" He leaped high into the air and fell toward her father's position, who jumped away before the man landed. A huge crater formed under the man's feet when he landed.  
  
Ranma? That was the name of her father, wasn't it? Just the sight of such an impossible leap and an equally impossibly large impact crater stunned Ami to immobility.  
  
"Ryoga, you jerk! What're you trying to do? I thought you'd be happy to have me out of the way!" Ranma growled as he wearily circled Ryoga, unknowingly blocking Ami from Ryoga's line of sight.  
  
Ryoga glared at Ranma while shouting, "It's all your fault, too! If you hadn't left, I wouldn't be having these problems! I'm going to kill you, Ranma!"

Ryoga didn't immediately attack Ranma. He glared a minute longer, then said, "Akane married a man named Shitori Sanji, did you know that? She never loved you!"  
  
Ryoga's announcement gave Ranma pause, allowing the stranger the time to charge and attack her father. Ami watched as they fought swiftly at speeds she dared not hope to achieve. Their movements were easy enough to follow, but Ami could not possibly catalogue all the different attacks or blocks either party used. By the time she identified a specific strike or block, both combatants had already performed two or three more interactions.  
  
Her father shouted something akin to "Roasted Chestnuts", then launched a high speed volley of punches before jumping back and away from the other man, who he had identified as Ryoga. Ami looked around Ranma at Ryoga, who took two or three bandanas off of his head while glancing in her father's direction.  
  
"This time, I'll get you, Ranma," he said. "There's no more running away now. Let's finish this the way it started all those years ago."  
  
"I've never run away from a fight, Ryoga, and I'm not gonna start now." Ranma dug his heels into the ground and took up an unfamiliar stance. Ryoga frowned.  
  
"You ready, P-chan? 'Cause this is really gonna hurt! There's no way you're going to beat me!" Ranma shouted.  
  
Ami stood still, clueless as to what they were talking about and hoping neither had noticed her yet. Participating in high speed martial arts battles is very hazardous to one's health, and Atsuko probably wouldn't be happy with her if she started getting into fights that didn't involve her.  
  
The bandanas in the other man's hands disappeared from her sight as the two men engaged in another round of combat. Though both were very good and fought very hard, Ami easily saw and readily understood that her father was steadily giving ground and on the verge of letting down his defenses. Was he trying to lose?  
  
The other man in the yellow and black clothes, Ryoga, landed a solid punch to Ranma's gut, sending him flying to land around 15 meters in front of her. He rolled up onto his knees and clutched his stomach, spitting out phlegm and some blood. Ryoga picked up a nearby stone, about the size of her computer tower, and threw it up in the air. When it fell back toward him, he casually swung at it with one of the newly reappeared bandanas and cleaved it in two. The two halves of the rock crumbled upon impact with the ground.  
  
"This time, Ranma, there's no getting away," said Ryoga, casually spinning the bandanas, then letting them loose with quick flicks of his wrist. The bandanas flew straight toward her father, who had managed to roll away in time, but now they were headed toward her....  
  
"What.. are those?" voiced Ami, completely frozen by the gruesome thought of extremely sharp bandanas cutting her into pieces. What would her mother think if she came home decapitated? She'd never hear the end of it at school!  
  
What am I thinking? I'll be dead. That was it. She was going to die, and not of old age, or even from fighting youma, demons, or droids. Some stupid piece of cloth would be her undoing, who would have thought?  
  
"Ami!" She heard her father's voice distantly, and there was an impact, and suddenly she lay staring up at the sky. The sun's brilliance burned her eyes in its path of ascension. What had saved her?  
  
She looked down to see her father above her, having tackled her away from the strange headgear projectiles.  
  
"Ami, are you alright?" Ranma let go of her and touched her shoulder softly.  
  
Suddenly she was filled with anxiety at how close her father was. Who was this man who had saved her life so easily? She backed away from his touch. "I'm okay now," she said.  
  
The man did not relax in the slightest at her pronouncement. He instead turned away from her and looked at Ryoga, who stood dumbfounded. "Ryoga! You could have hit her with those! I'm going to kill you!" he shouted before leaping at the man. Ryoga picked up and opened his umbrella, blocking Ranma's strike, then bounded over the wall behind him. Ranma followed closely behind.  
  
"Wha.... What happened?" For a few moments, Ami could only stare at the debris around her. Deciding that going home would be the best way to spend the rest of her day, she stood up, picked up one of the yellow and black spotted bandanas which lay embedded in the ground, then stalked toward her home.  
  
*********************  
  
When she arrived home, Ami immediately thought of turning back to go out. There, on her doorstep, was someone she just could not deal with today. It was.... Minako, with Artemis on her shoulder and a large bag hanging from her arm.  
  
"Minako, why are you here? I told you, I'm not sick!" Minako was the only other girl on their team who didn't get sick from the bug floating around, so she had taken it upon herself to go on a crusade to the home of each Senshi and make sure they 'got well soon'. Minako had already visited Makoto and Rei, and planned on stopping by her house before going on to Usagi's. Ami tried to convince the girl she wasn't sick by any means, but Minako just couldn't take the hint, no matter how blatantly obvious it was given.  
  
"Come on, Ami! Can't I just stop by for a visit? Wow, you live in such a nice apartment, it looks bigger than my house. Are you sure this is an apartment?" Minako said. She looked around while waiting for Ami to unlock the door.  
  
"Yes, Minako, this is just an apartment, even if it is big. Alright, come in. The house is a mess, though, I haven't gotten around to cleaning up the rooms yet." Ami unlocked the door and went inside.  
  
"Oh, that's okay, Ami. Hey, I brought you something, in case you're not feeling well. I know how you love sandwiches and, well, soup is supposed to be the best thing to eat when you're sick, so I decided to combine them to make something better." Minako peeked around one of the doorways to look into the living room. "Wow, that's a big TV. I wish my TV was that big."  
  
"You... what? You combined a sandwich and soup? Ah, um." Ami wasn't sure how to continue, and didn't want to know how Minako had managed to put soup into a cutlet sandwich. Such matters were very dangerous topics of discussion. She very discreetly dumped the contents of the... sandwich... in the waste disposal.  
  
"Oh! A 20 disk CD player. I brought some soothing music you might like, wait, here, let me get it...." Minako dug into her bag while Artemis crawled toward Ami.  
  
"Be careful, Ami! Minako's on a rampage today. She already blew up Makoto's favorite blender and Rei's stereo system.... Who knows what might go wrong now?" Artemis said from below her.  
  
Ami started at seeing the white cat. "Oh, I forgot all about you, Artemis," Ami said. "Cats aren't allowed in the apartment complex, neither are any other pets. And my mother doesn't like cats, either." A crash resounded as Minako's disks spilled all over the floor.  
  
"I'll get them," the blond girl shouted, and Ami rolled her eyes as she watched Minako crawl around the floor picking up the various optical disk media.  
  
"Minako, Ami says cats aren't allowed in the apartment," Artemis started as he walked toward his ward.  
  
"What? Oh. Well, then I guess we'd better go, huh?" Minako appeared to be embarrassed as she looked up from grabbing the last of her CDs. "Sorry Ami, I'm such a klutz some time. Um. I'll just come back later and check on you then, okay?" She stood up and, after stuffing all her CDs in the bag, picked Artemis up and placed him on her shoulder again.  
  
"That won't be necessary!" Ami hastily said. "I mean, um, my mom's a doctor, so she takes care of me. I don't get sick often, anyway."  
  
Minako laughed. "Yeah, I know what you mean. Well, call me if you need anything. I'm going to Usagi's house, then."  
  
Ami walked her to the front door.  
  
"Well, bye Ami. See you later, then," said Minako.  
  
"Bye Minako. See you in school," replied Ami.   
  
*********************  
  
Ami gratefully closed her Geometry book and took a deep breath. She'd managed to complete chapter 12, with the theorems regarding angles whose rays formed tangents with a circle.... Granted, the assignment had been in chapter 3, dealing with centroids and medians of a triangle, but the coursework simply was not accelerated enough for her, and Ami liked to work at her own pace. Maybe next week she would borrow a few books on prospective geometry and begin on that until the class caught up with her. Certainly that would be much more entertaining than completing the math book and sitting in class with nothing to do.  
  
Two hours had passed since Minako left the apartment. Supposedly, the girl was to come back for another visit to check on her, but Ami planned to be asleep by that time. She just lay her head on the pillow when her communicator beeped at her. Picking it up and pressing the button for audio, she heard Minako say, "Hey guys, Esmeraude's got Chibi-Usa at the pharmacy in Juban General hospital! I've got this one covered, though. Don't worry about a thing!"  
  
Ami immediately got out of bed and left for the hospital.  
  
*********************  
  
"Mercury Bubbles Blast!" she shouted, creating a fog in the dimly lit pharmacy of Juban General Hospital. Hopefully, the hospital wouldn't be too damaged by their battle, and her mother wouldn't find out they were here.  
  
"Everyone, you shouldn't have come here, you should all be in bed," Venus said matter-of-factly.  
  
"Venus," began SailorMoon, "thank you for fighting alone and protecting Chibi-Usa."  
  
"Don't worry, you're not in danger anymore now that we're all here," Ami said to Chibi-Usagi.  
  
Esmeraude, impatient with the fog, shouted, "Droid! Attack them now!" She disappeared in the slowly dispersing mist.  
  
"Mars Fire Surround!" Mars shouted, blasting the droid to impede it. SailorMoon didn't look to well, and staggered a moment before Tuxedo Mask caught her.  
  
"SailorMoon, don't get sick now! I want you to get well soon," Tuxedo Mask said in what Ami supposed was an encouraging speech.  
  
SailorMoon stood up from Mask's arms, struck a small pose, then shouted, "Moon Princess Halatation!" She extinguished the droid, and another dark crystal shard shattered.  
  
"Rrr, you're really getting on my nerves! I'll get you all later, I must be going to do other things. You won't win next time, Senshi! O-hohohohoho!" Esmeraude disappeared.   
  
Mercury sighed, then looked past where SailorMoon and Tuxedo Mask were making out. There, in the doorway, was her mother. Atsuko nodded to her, an indicator that the woman approved, well, something anyway. She quickly disappeared around the corner.  
  
"If you guys don't mind, I'm going home now, I don't feel well," said SailorMoon from within Mamoru's embrace.  
  
Ami could not have agreed with her more.  
  
*********************  
  
Author's Notes:  
  
For those of you who are wondering, the identity of Ami's biological mother will not be revealed/confirmed until either   
a) the Senshi go to Crystal Tokyo, or   
b) about halfway through SailorMoon S (I'm not telling where).   
Most likely it's gonna be choice (b). As an effect, the real mother won't be revealed in Hailstorm, as BSSM-S will be covered in a separate story, but she may or may not be mentioned or seen in Hailstorm.  
  
On another note, yes, I know I'm mixing Japanese and English names liberally, and I know I'm using 'Tuxedo Mask' while also using 'Mamoru' and 'SailorMoon'. I just think it sounds better than 'Tuxedo Kamen'. And I don't feel like looking up, copying, and pasting a long string of Japanese Romaji every time one of the Senshi attack, so I'm using the English names for their attacks. This likely will not change in the future.  
  
C&C welcome at laqjr_200@hotmail.com  



	5. Chapter 4

  
  


* * *

_The Saotome Legacy_ - **Hailstorm**   
  
  


* * *

Inspired by Jonathan Ford's story "Who's Your Daddy?"  
  


*********************

**Chapter 4**

***************

Disclaimer

I do not own Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon, Ranma 1/2, or Cultural Cat Girl.   
Characters, names, and places used without permission.

Acknowledgements

The original idea behind Who's Your Daddy and Hailstorm is courtesy of Rift120, from the Delphi Boards.  
The Martial Arts Computer Repair competition has been contributed by Siobham L. R. Ward.

***************************

_My father's curse now haunts me..._

***************************

It was a bright and early Sunday morning, two days after Artemis's big debut as a hero and nearly a week after the strange epidemic. The time between attacks from the Dark Moon decreased after every battle, and Ami feared the Senshi may soon be faced with battles separated by hours. Definitely not a pleasant thought when trying to rest through a stress-free weekend.

Today, Ami's mother, Atsuko, had taken the day off and rented a car, and the two of them were traveling to some far out remote city to have fun. That was the plan, anyway.

"Mom, where are we going?" Ami asked, looking up from her book on the history of the first Dynasties of China. She had to wonder about her mother sometimes. The older woman tended to act strangely in different situations. Her attitude convinced Ami they were not traveling out here solely for vacationing.

"We're traveling to Ofuda, Ami. I told you that before we left." Atsuko glanced in her direction, then focused back on the road.

"You did? I don't remember you telling me." And she didn't. Atsuko rushed her a bit in getting ready for the day, so she may have missed her mother mentioning their destination, but the point was moot. "Why are we going out to Ofuda? Where is it, anyway?"

"Ah, you probably wouldn't know. It's a pretty secluded town, up near an inn where they have a special doll with a very tragic legend. She seeks her revenge on whoever disturbs her," said Atsuko.

"A spirit doll?" questioned Ami, intrigued. _Could Esmeraude have come out here and sent a droid to bring the doll to life?_ No, that would be too convenient. Just because the Senshi ran into their enemies virtually everywhere they went didn't mean she'd run into Esmeraude way up here. The area was so remote, Ami had never even _heard_ of the town Ofuda being in the area.

_Well, there was the time when Yuuichiro invited us to the mountains for a Princess Skiing contest._ Was that merely a coincidence? Certainly the Senshi didn't win merely by luck...

"Mother, why are we going to Ofuda? Couldn't we have spent the day more efficiently at home?" It must be one of her mother's crazy training ideas again. What exactly did balancing on one foot while standing on a board elevated two feet above the ground and balancing a tennis ball on her forehead while dodging paper wads thrown by her mother have to do with Martial Arts?

"We're going to see a tournament they're holding. It's kinda small, seeing as Ofuda's in a fairly isolated place, but I think you'll like it anyway." Once again, Atsuko's words did not inspire much of Ami's confidence in the day to come ahead.

*********************

"Martial Arts Computer Repair?" Ami asked, both fairly incredulous and incredibly curious at the prospect. How could computer repair possibly incorporate the Martial Arts?

"Well, I thought I'd start you out in some smaller and less known competitions so you could have a better chance at winning. And I tried to find something you'd be interested in, but Martial Arts Electronic Gaming really isn't a good place for newcomers to start, and the Martial Arts Piano and Keyboard Competition is a little too easy for someone of your talent. This is the best I could find for now, but I'm sure you'll have fun anyway." Was this really her mother speaking? When did the world suddenly begin revolving around martial arts?

"And, you want me to participate?" Certainly she dreamt this entire conversation. Why would Atsuko drag them out to some small town named _Ofuda_ and to a Martial Arts _Computer Repair_ competition?

"Oh, come on, daughter. It's not that strange. And it's not really hard, either. All you have to do is build a working computer before anyone else and make sure your computer isn't sabotaged. That's where the Martial Arts come in. You can attack your opponents and knock them out, or you can sabotage the other computers. However, if you physically damage or destroy any computer part, you're disqualified."

"Ah, I see." Ami smiled for her mother, considering a polite way to decline the offer. Failing that, she would simply enter and lose. Physical competitions are much too competitive to be entering them haphazardly, as her mother advocated.

Her mother looked away from her, distracted by something. Ami debated getting her attention to voice her opinion about not entering the competition, but chose not to. Her mother turned back to her and said, "Ami, I'm gonna get going now, I have stuff to do elsewhere. Just watch the competition, at least, if you really don't want to enter. Even if you just watch, you can still learn something for the next competition."

Startled by her mother's nonchalance, Ami hesitated, then replied, saying, "Okay, mother. Um, I'll see you after the competition."

Atsuko turned around and, looking around once quickly, _jumped_ over the crowd, where another woman tackled her in the air.

Hurrying over toward where they landed, Ami could just glimpse them through the crowd. Atsuko had been pinned to the wall by the other woman, aged in her early thirties, with chestnut-brown hair. Sneaking as near as she could and hiding behind a disturbingly close pillar, she overheard their conversation and watched their interactions.

"... we're both girls! People will see us!" her mother said.

"Oh, come on, don't give me that!" said the other woman, encircling Atsuko in her arms. "It's been so long since I've seen you, so long since we..." The mysterious stranger leaned in close to her mother, and... kissed her.

Ami turned around quickly, a blush beginning to show brightly on her face. Though she couldn't be sure, as her view had been obscured by the ever growing crowd of expectant spectators, Ami was certain she saw the two of them kiss. That must be why her mother never dated guys, because she was really... Was she a lesbian? It explained a few things, like why Atsuko came home late sometimes even though she hadn't worked overtime, and why her mother refused to date men. They probably traveled all the way out here to be alone, away from the city.... Ami walked away distractedly, searching for something to occupy her attention.

_Maybe entering the tournament isn't such a bad idea after all. I should go sign up and meet the other competitors._ Following her own advice, Ami quickly made her way to the registration table and signed up for the competition.

*********************

The lobby of the Ofuda Public Library where the registration desk currently resided turned out to be a wonderfully decorated building. After registering for the competition, Ami felt the need to use a restroom, which surprised her as she thought about it, since she hadn't immediately needed to go after the 2 hour trip out here. Politely tapping a young boy on the shoulder, she had quickly received directions and gone on her way.

Now, after exiting the restroom, Ami looked briefly around the lobby before heading in what she thought to be the direction of the exit. _This library is really big for such a small town,_ she thought briefly.

"Hey, you must be new to the competition," spoke a voice from behind Ami.

Startled, Ami turned around to face a boy of about ten years of age looking up at her curiously. It was the same boy she asked for directions earlier.

"Oh, yes," she said, not sure how to reply to the boy. While Usagi secretly prided herself with the ease that she could make new friends, Ami felt unsure of how to continue a conversation with strangers she'd soon be fighting in combat.

"Well, my name is Tendo Kensuke, it's nice to meet a new competitor." The boy smiled cutely at her. With black hair and brown eyes, Kensuke stood around 6 or 7 centimeters shorter than her. He wore baggy jeans and a shirt with unfamiliar gaijin words, which under close inspection looked to be French. Not a style she was familiar with.

"Oh, um. Mizuno Ami. I wasn't really planning on entering, but, um..." She couldn't just explain the situation with Atsuko to a complete stranger, especially to one a few years her junior, but Ami did not want to lie to Kensuke, either. What could she tell him?

"Hey, that's okay. The point is you entered, right? You good in martial arts? What style do you practice?" Kensuke looked at her expectantly, yet Ami was not sure if she should share this information, trivial as it was.

"I've been practicing under a good teacher for quite some time, and I'm good enough to enter the competition," Ami replied, evading the question as best she could.

"Heh, well, I've been practicing a long time, too. My mother's my sensei, her name's Tendo Akane and I practice under the Anything Goes School of Martial Arts. It's the best there is for these kinds of competitions, as far as I know," he said. Kensuke looked very proud of his pedigree.

Something about what he said sounded disturbingly familiar, though. What could it be?

"You must be very proud." she Ami.

"Yeah," was Kensuke's reply.

"Why do you participate in this competition?" she asked, hoping to extrapolate more information.

"Well," drawled the boy, leaning against the wall in a casual manner. "Like I said. My mother's been teaching me martial arts for a while, and she wanted me to enter some competitions. My dad didn't care much for the idea, he'd rather have me be safe and study something academic. My mother kind'v agreed with him, so I asked one of my aunts for help. She works for Mishima, you see, so she's really smart and everything. Well, she suggested I practice a martial art that made me smart, too, and when I asked her what kind of martial arts could make me strong _and_ smart, she laughed and said she'll come up with something."

Kensuke paused and looked away from her for a moment, and Ami took the time to consider what he'd told her. "You must like martial arts a lot, to work so hard at it," she finally said.

"Hmm, yeah," Kensuke replied, distractedly. "Well, anyway, I just keep practicing at home when one day, my mother calls me inside and says Aunt Natsume found the perfect competition for me to participate in. It turned out there was this really remote area near a place they once visited that held a semi-annual Martial Arts Computer Repair competition. That was two years ago."

"So you've been doing this for two years?" Ami asked. _He must be really good, then._

"Yeah, well, I won the first two competitions, but there weren't a lot of people participating until it was announced that the top two people got cash prizes. I lost the last one, came in fourth, but I plan to win today." Kensuke turned toward her, staring intensely into her eyes.

"They say there's a great martial artist who's gonna compete today. Never lost a fight without coming back and winning the rematch. I wanna see if I can find out who he is, and I'm gonna try ta beat him. It doesn't matter if he comes back and rematches me and I lose, 'cause if I can win against him, people will know I'm a serious opponent when it comes to a fight." Pushing himself away from the wall, Kensuke bowed to her, saying, "Thank you for speaking with me, Mizuno-san, but I must be going now. The competition is about to begin." He turned and walked briskly away.

*********************

"Competitors! To your stations!" The announcer roared over the arena's PA system.

Ami stepped onto the raised platform that made up the arena and made her way, with some trepidation, to the station assigned to her in the earlier lottery. E6.

The rules, which Atsuko and the judges had gone over earlier, were being declared yet again, this time by the announcer over the PA for the benefit of the audience. Ami ran over them again in her head, making sure she had them down.

First, the competitor must construct a working computer system, in the time provided, in order to win. Second, the competitor must be conscious in order to win. Third, any competitor who physically causes any level damage to any piece of hardware shall be immediately disqualified. Fourth, any who leaves the platform, for any reason, shall be announced forfeit. Fifth, anyone not on the platform at time of competition shall not be allowed to enter or affect events occurring on the platform. Lastly, any competitor who is disqualified for the damage of hardware shall be required to provide monetary compensation for the damaged components.

Despite how simple the rules seemed on first glance, Ami still felt the cold thrill of nervous fear shiver up her spine. Any and all offensive and defensive maneuvers were entirely allowed, provided that no laws were broken, and the rules of competition were followed, after all. It was not at all an environment conducive to feelings of safety and security, especially not for a young girl who had only just begun to half-heartedly step out on the peril fraught path of a martial artist.

The arena of combat consisted of 256 different stations, each located in the center of a sixteen by sixteen foot square box. However, due to the small number of competitors participating, only one out of every three stations were stations with all of the essential pieces needed to construct a working system, including but by no means limited to, screws, cables, tower, expansion cards, socket 7 CPUs, core fan structures, heat sinks, batteries, hard drives, RAM, 3.5 drives, power structures, system boards, ROM chips, and video cards. Every station on the field of battle though, was equipped with the necessary tools for the construction, including electric screwdrivers, ESD bracelets, penlights, and soldering irons with the associated solder and flux.

In the face of such a bewildering assortment, Ami silently thanked whomever it had been that had inspired her to disassemble and reassemble her computer without her mother's permission or knowledge, because without that she wouldn't have had a snowball's chance.

But the competition facing her could just as well overwhelm her, with not only a sparingly fair grasp of computer construction, but also only limited experience in the Arts. And looking around at the fashion in which her opponents were gearing themselves for battle, Ami found a frission of doubt rising high within her breast. There wasn't even going to be a *chance* to look at the documentation provided without opening herself to debilitating attacks.

Worst of all, though, was the fact that Ranma Saotome, the father that had abandoned her, was also choosing to compete as well. Why was he here? Atsuko couldn't have brought Ami all the way out here to reconcile them, could she have? Or was it that he was just so obsessed with the Art that he would go to the trouble of tracking down such a small, little known competition, which had been designed to prepare its entrants for working under the extreme conditions of the nearby Mishima Heavy Industries factory?

Ami slowly lowered herself onto the stool provided at her station and began to take stock of just what she had gotten herself into. There were too many items before her, and too much going on around her, to allow her to finish before the judges signaled their readiness to begin.

"All right! The judges are ready! Begin!" The PAs blared in a scratchy whine of the announcer's voice.

And the world as Ami knew it suddenly erupted into chaos.

*********************

There was no way to follow the events in sequential order. Far too much was happening at the same time in too many different places to even attempt it, even if one had the leisure to try. And with the whine of the announcement of the start still lingering in the air, Ami had no time to even start. Strikes and blows rained in from all sides, and it was only her experiences fighting as a senshi that kept her from being knocked out almost immediately. It seemed like everyone on the platform was attacking her, and it was giving her hardly any time to focus on the task at hand.

Meanwhile though, across the platform, through brief glimpses allowed her by shifting assaulters, she could see the man who called himself her father tearing into the competition without going after them himself. Often he'd be fending off three opponents when a fourth would try jumping him from behind and get into the way of the other three. Gradually his fights turned from battles with temporary allies into all out free for alls.

In some ways, Ranma's struggles helped her immensely as far as staying in the competition, for as he managed to knock out, or knock off his opponents, those who were attacking Ami began to fling themselves futilely at his impenetrable defenses. With everyone going after her father, Ami ran far less of a chance of finding a team of combatants trying to knock her out before she could piece together her computer. But the individuals were bad enough as after nearly an hour of struggle, she had only managed to fasten the system board and power supply into the tower at her station. The quick glance up at the digital display almost cost herself her consciousness before she deflected a palm strike away with a responding palm block of her own.

Because of her distance from her father and apparent weakness, for a period of time Ami had been part of the center of attention, but as more and more went to try and throw the great Ranma Saotome from the platform, the burden of attack on her eased. Within the next half hour, she had finished placing the ROM, CPU, heat sink, and RAM onto the system board, only having to divert her attention for a moment to deflect a spinning side kick aimed at her head and respond with a rising palm strike and hook kick combination that knocked her aggressor off of the platform.

Ami despised having to assay such levels of violence required to knock an opponent unconscious, even if avoiding them meant possibly loosing. So, as often as possible, her few strikes and blows were aimed at knocking her competitors from the platform. She was no Ranma Saotome, and she had no intention of becoming like the man who was slowly being surrounded by unconscious figures.

Most of the other competitors had been either knocked from the platform or knocked unconscious by the second hour, and Ami could only make out a few remaining standing and on the platform, including herself. Kensuke was a few meters to her right fending off two younger girls obliviously trying to overpower him, two girls behind her and off to her left were dueling with each other, and her father was struggling in *mid-air* against an grizzled, older man whose clothing strained to stay in one piece over his muscular frame. With the other opponents otherwise occupied, Ami renewed her focus on the task at hand, namely assembling the computer before her.

However, just as she finished securing the video card, Ami spotted movement out of the corner of her eye and turned her head to look. Kensuke was racing towards her, something grasped tightly in his hand. He hurled the object, shouting "ESD ATTACK!"

Ami had just enough time to snatch the static bag from the video card from the station and deflect the oncoming assault. She followed up the hasty defense with a foot sweep that slammed Kensuke into the ground, rolling quickly away from her follow up eagle fist, then popping up to dodge a sliding kick from her father that would have left him lying unconscious on the platform.

The victorious girl from the dueling pair chose then to make her appearance, descending from above with a drop elbow aimed towards breaking Ami's collarbone. Dodging back from the attack, being careful to stay close enough to her station to defend it, Ami swept the dangling end of her ESD bracelet into the palm of her hand and waited for the girl to attack.

Unfortunately for the girl, she ended up catching a missed kick from Kensuke lead to Ranma's block sending her crashing into a nearby station, somehow managing to not break anything on the way there. Yet, her victorious leap down from the station was heralded with a crackling sound, and she regretfully lifted her foot to reveal the shattered remains of the RAM chip that she had just landed on. Head hanging dispiritedly, she slunk from the platform. Disqualified.

Watching the battle between Kensuke and her father closely, Ami leapt forward with a hasty and awkward wheel kick while they were both distracted by each other. She caught Ranma hard on his chin, sending him staggering, off balance to the left. Unfortunately for him, he was already standing with his left foot on the edge of the platform, and the slight stagger was enough to send him crashing from the platform. Disqualified.

Silence reigned as they both looked over the edge at Ranma's fallen form in something approaching shock.

"It's just you and me then, Mizuno-san." Kensuke was the first to speak, breaking the silence as they straightened from looking over the edge to face each other.

"Yes." Ami replied. "By process of elimination, we remain... the only ones left." She eyed him warily waiting to see what his next move would be.

"But you can't win unless you build a working computer." Kensuke continued.

"Agreed. Why don't we finish this by seeing who can build it first?" Ami offered. "You're really good in the Art, but building a computer requires knowledge and experience."

"That sounds like a challenge! And I never back down from a challenge!" Kensuke said with a grin. "Fine, but we both start with new computers. How about F6 and 9? The competitors from there attacked Ranma first."

"How... never mind. Okay." Ami agreed softly, following Kensuke to the appointed stations.

"You ready, Mizuno-san?" He asked.

"Anytime you are, Tendo-san." Ami responded.

They were off like twin shots. Nimble hands fitting chips into slots. Electric screwdrivers humming. Computers slowly coming into being before them. Two beings entirely focused on succeeding in the construction of a working system before the other.

Ami won.

*********************

Ami walked slowly away from the library, basking in the glow of her recent victory. She'd won first place in the competition, though it came really close in the end.

Kensuke actually had more experience than her in building computers, as he competed and won twice before by not only defeating all other challengers but also building a computer himself. The main reason she won was Kensuke had forgotten to plug in the hard disk. He already had the case closed and ready to plug in while she was still double-checking the connections inside the case, but because of the extra time Ami spent making sure everything had been connected correctly, she won first place while Kensuke came in second.

Looking around at the crowd around her, Ami could find no sign of her mother. _Does she know the competition's over? Nearly three hours have already passed._

The competition also had the added effect of highly boosting her spirit, partly because she won and partly because she had defeated her father. Logically, Ami knew that Ranma could have beaten her just by firing one of his beams of energy, and distantly, her heart and mind were quite surprised at her actions during the competition, but it didn't matter at the moment. Winning did.

She heard a voice, and turned around to see her father walking her way. Disappointed that Atsuko still hadn't come for her, she decided talking to Ranma wouldn't hurt much as a way to pass the time.

"Hey, Ami-chan, you did great in the competition! I can still feel the kick you gave me in my side, it's probably gonna leave a mark later on," Ranma said in greeting.

"My name is Mizuno Ami, Father, if you have forgotten," Ami said in return.

"No, no I haven't forgotten. Are you okay? You kinda seem out of it." Ranma gazed intently in her direction.

"I'm fine, Father. I am merely waiting for my mother to pick me up so we can go home." Ami returned his gaze, stare for stare.

"Yeah, about that, we have to go as soon as possible." Ami's father looked around uneasily, and Ami felt her elation begin to seep away.

_Mother... Was this her real motive? She brought me here to be with my father?_ This had definitely not been in the plans she managed to pull from her mother before they arrived.

"What happened to my mother?" Ami asked him. "Why can't I go home with her?"

"Ah, she's... not here right now, Ami," replied her father. "Here, here's the key to the car. Just go on ahead and wait for me there, I gotta take care of something first." Unlike her mother, Ranma jogged away from her rather than leaping over the crowd. Ami didn't feel like following him, so she went to find the car, depressedly thinking about how she'd have to endure at least another two hours of her father's presence.

*********************

Reading is the perfect escape for one's mind, especially when trying to distract oneself from one's plethoric companions. Even if she didn't remember anything from what she read due to her currently split concentration, the end result was Ami could for the most part ignore her father's presence in the seat next to her.

One of the main reasons for her shattered concentration was the factor of pride in herself for winning the competition. Logically Ami knew she felt starstruck, or something similar. The second reason came in the form of what her mother's relationship to Ranma was. What could it be?

The third and final reason for her distracted mindset happened to be Kensuke's last words to her before he disappeared from her view in the crowds. _I'm gonna train harder than ever now in order to beat you. So be ready. I'm coming after you when I'm done training._ Could he find her in Minato-ku?

"So, Ami, what did you think about the competition?" her father asked her. Ami ignored him and kept on reading 'A History of Mechanics', one of her favorite math books.

"You did really well in the competition today, Ami," he said. He seemed to be straining for words.

Her concentration still split, and her mind still in the clouds from her recent accomplishment, Ami distractedly stated the first thing on her mind, paying no more attention to her surroundings.

"I hate you, you know," stated Ami calmly. The world stood still for one Ranma Saotome.

"W-what?" said Ranma. Ami looked up from her book, not quite believing she'd said it, either. She blushed at the realization that she actually had told her father she hated him. _What's done's done, though I might as well finish what I started._

"You're never around," Ami said, looking at her father while he focused on the road ahead of him. "I haven't seen you since I turned ten, and now after my greatest secret comes out, you appear from nowhere and try to protect me. I don't want your help, and I don't need it." The car remained silent for some time.

"You know what, Ami?" Ranma asked. Ami looked curiously at her father. "I'm proud of what you did today. You did really well in that competition. But I was even more proud of you when you won that accelerated scholars award your first year of middle school. I'm proud of everything you do."

Looking at her father's calm gaze and focus, Ami found she had no answer to give him, and the car remained silent for the rest of the trip home. All she could think of were her father's words. _I'm proud of everything you do_. Was he really proud of her? For everything? Even for hating him?

*********************

High up in one of the executive offices of Mishima Industries Headquarters, a woman sat watching a large HD wide format screen, catching the last few minutes of the Mishima-sponsored competition in Ofuda. "Mizuno Ami, hmm? How quaint. Interesting, that two of my greatest nuisances share a name."

The woman looked away long enough to snatch up one of the miscellaneous photos laid out on her desk. "How on Earth you managed to hide from me, Ranma, I'll never know," she said while looking at the picture of the martial artist, taken sixteen years prior. Said martial artist flew off the platform on the screen, being disqualified for leaving the battle.

The woman toyed with the picture of Ranma as a teenage boy, then focused on one of the photos of Ranma as a teenaged girl that still sat on her desk. "I hope for your sake you don't think you've seen the last of me," she said softly to the photo before her. "Nabiki never forgets those who owe her."

*********************

Author's Notes:

Thanks go to Joshua Kaufman and Siobham L. R. Ward for prereading this chapter in both revisions. Also, special thanks go to Ms. Ward, who has generously provided me with a rewritten version of the Computer Repair competition. If you haven't read it yet, go and read it now.

Thanks also go to Adyen for informing me on my spelling errors. I should have fixed them earlier, but I kept putting it off. Now, all my chapters are spellchecked first before posting! :)

C&C welcome at laqjr_200@hotmail.com

  
  



	6. Chapter 5

  


* * *

_The Saotome Legacy_ - **Hailstorm**   
http://www.geocities.com/laqjr/myfics/TSL/index.html   
http://www.mediaminer.org/fanfic/view_st.php?id=28098 

* * *

Inspired by Dark Phoneix's story "Who's Your Daddy?"  
http://www.rakhal.com/florestica/dark_phoneix/index.html   
http://tannim.anifics.com/Daddy/Daddy.html

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**Chapter 5**

***************

Disclaimer

I do not own Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon, Ranma 1/2, or Cultural Cat Girl. Characters, names, and places used without permission.

Acknowledgements

The original idea behind _Who's Your Daddy_ and _Hailstorm_ is courtesy of Rift120, from the Delphi Boards.

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_Scholastic Collisions_

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_Yellow with black squares.... It's a fairly unique design for a bandana. Who are you, Hibiki Ryoga? Why can I find no sound trace of your trail?_ Ami twirled the bandana in her hands absently, pondering on the meaning of her father's adversary.

"Ami?" Hearing her name called, Ami looked up to find Luna staring up at her intently.

"I'm sorry, Luna. What did you say?" she asked. Looking around the room, Ami found that most eyes were now focused on her. Well, most eyes. Usagi lay on her bed eating a snack and intently reading from her manga collection.

Today Ami and the other Senshi were studying at Usagi's house, hoping that by holding their session there, their leader might have enough incentive to study hard enough to pass next week's exam in Geometry. Though Minako went to a different school, her class had a test on similar material on the same day Ami, Makoto and Usagi's class did, so she joined them in studying. Getting Usagi to study was a task nearing the impossible, especially because their class took a test in History earlier during the school day, and Usagi did not want to study right after a test.

Though Ami knew she passed the History test, she did not feel very confident about her standings in the class. Certainly only 6 hours of study time during the week before the test was not enough to cover the entire material.

Somehow, Luna managed to convince them to engage in a hybrid Senshi-Study meeting, and one of the most recent unanswered questions managed to come up yet again: Who was the man that had helped them out in the fight inside the cake shop?

Of course, Ami knew the answer to the question, but telling the other Senshi about her father was not high on her 'To-Do' list.

"I noticed you haven't said a word since we started our meeting, and I wanted to know if your computer found anything on that man," Luna said.

Ami shook her head to denote she hadn't. In truth, she hadn't even checked.

Luna took a few steps closer to her, and the black cat tilted her head. "Is there something on your mind, Ami? I notice you have an item in your hands, is that the reason you seem so distressed?"

"Nani? No, it's nothing, it's not important." Ami turned away from Luna and absently tightened the cloth into a ball within her fist.

Usagi had chosen that time to pay attention, and slyly said, "_I_ know what Ami-chan's hiding. She's got a boy's bandana, probably from her new _boyfriend_." Her friend and leader leaned closer and whispered, "Who's it from? Was it from Ken-chan? or did Nisawa-san give it to you? Did you sneak off to see Uruwa and not tell us?"

"Aa!" Leaning back in a vain attempt to get away from her friend's pressing, embarrassing questions, Ami crawled back a few feet to get some distance. She blushed and stuttered her reply. "Nan- b-boyfriend? N-No. This isn't from a boyfriend-"

"I knew it!" Usagi shouted triumphantly, pointing dramatically. "Ami-chan has a boyfriend. What's he like? How long have you been going out? Come to think of it, why haven't I noticed before..."

Ami sighed, knowing now for sure they would get no more studying done. She pocketed the bandana and promptly forgot about it for the rest of the night.

*********************

Ami walked home with Makoto and Minako, quietly reflecting on the recent events of the past few weeks. Today was Sunday, and she had not seen her father since he drove her home a week ago. Ami didn't know if his disappearance was a good thing. His recently frequent appearances, though often sudden and without warning, at first had disconcerted her, but now that she'd met and spoken with her father for some time, Ami could no longer regard her first impression of him as true.

They were walking down one of the lesser used downtown streets when a girl, older than Ami by at least one, maybe two years, jumped down from the sign she'd been sitting on and blocked their path. She paused only momentarily to catch her balance, then turned and leapt at Ami, shouting, "An opening!".

Ami took two steps backward, but moved too fast and tripped, falling to her rear. Makoto pushed the girl back while Minako stood in front of Ami in a defensive posture.

"Who are you? You can't just attack someone for no reason!" shouted Makoto. She and Minako both stood ready to attack, while Ami looked on at the three of them, stunned by the confrontation's occurrence.

"Two against one?" said the girl, whose name they still did not know. "That hardly seems fair. I'll leave you alone for now, but don't forget, Mizuno-san, I'll be back for you!" The girl ran off quickly, running across the street and turning the corner quickly.

"What in the world was that?" asked Makoto, puzzled by the girl's quick leave. Ami could not see Minako's face, but she still seemed tense.

"Sempai?" Ami asked reflectively. _Was that really her?_

"Ami, do you know her?" Minako asked her, bringing her out of her speculations.

"Hai," replied Ami. "But I really shouldn't talk about someone else like that. It's too embarrassing and personal!" Pausing momentarily, Ami continued walking, Minako and Makoto following her.

"That was Omiaki Yui, an upperclassman at my last Junior High. She was the smartest person in the school when I got there, and she liked to play sports and compete for the Gymnastics team. She always did really well, scoring the highest on the practice entrance exams. Everyone used to look up to her because of how well she did in scholastics and sports."

"Well, what happened?" asked Makoto. "Why'd she come after you?"

"Before I left, I decided to take one of the practice entrance exams. I wanted to find out how well I'd do if I were to take the actual test. I scored the highest on the exam, and everyone came to congratulate me."

"So Omiaki-san got angry because you did better than you, right?" asked Minako.

"No," said Ami. "Actually, Omiaki-sempai came and congratulated me on doing so well. She was amazed that anyone could get such a high score at my level. But after that, people stopped looking up at her because of her grades. They started making fun of her and saying that if a first year student could get a higher score, then Omiaki-sempai must not be so smart after all.

"She ignored them at first, but it hurt her, and after a while she resented my better score. She challenged me to a fight to see who was the better student." Ami said.

"Did you fight her?" asked Makoto. "I'll pound her if you want. I can take her."

"Iie, I told my mother what was going on and she went and talked to a few people at the school and the hospital. She found a job here and petitioned for my classes to be transferred over to Juban. I never thought I'd see Omiaki-sempai again."

"Don't worry about her, Ami-chan. If she comes back around here, I'll take her down, no problem. She won't be bothering you," Makoto said.

"Thanks, Mako-chan, but I can take care of it," said Ami. "Hey, I'll see you guys tomorrow, okay?" she asked, turning to walk toward her mother's apartment, then turning around and walking backward a few steps.

"'Kay, bai bai, Ami-chan!"

"Tomorrow, okay!"

"Bai bai, Mako-chan, Mina-chan. Don't forget to study."

*********************

Ami's mother wasn't home when she opened the door to their apartment. Ami went ahead and placed her school books on the desk in her room, then sat down to read one. It was not long until she became drowsy, so after a shower, an change of clothes, and a small dinner consisting mostly of salad, Ami went to bed, wondering what the next few days would bring.

She woke up to her mother gently shaking her at what seemed only moments later, but by the look of her digital clock, Ami could see she had been asleep for a few hours, at least.

The time read 6 AM, a little earlier than her mother normally woke her now, but Ami had rested enough to wake herself up and prepare for another day of training. Her mother stopped her in the process of getting her training uniform.

"Dress up in some regular clothes," Atsuko said. "We're not training today. I want to show you something outside." Atsuko turned and left the room.

After dressing up in a dark blue blouse and black skirt, Ami followed her mother outside where she found her leaning against one of the walls of the compound, looking up at the dawning sky. The older woman had on a loose fitting red Chinese style shirt tied at the waist with a black belt. The shirt contrasted well against the black pants she wore, tied at her feet with string. Her dark hair hung back in a ponytail, unlike the usual single-bun hairstyle Ami was used to seeing her wear.

"You wanted to show me something, Mother?" Ami asked in approach.

"The sky is beautiful, isn't it, Ami? My father used to wake me up and show me the sky when it dawned. Well, actually, he woke me up to train me, but we were always up before dawn and he never sparred with me until after the sun rose. Such a beautiful thing, the birth of a new day."

Ami walked up to Atsuko, then turned to lean against the wall next to her. "Yes, it is beautiful. Is this why you brought me out here?"

Atsuko placed an arm around her shoulder, then said, "Kind of. I've been wondering for some time now, and I wanted to ask you this. What's it like to fight those monsters?"

"Fight?" The word came as mostly reactionary. She hadn't even paused to think before saying it.

"Hai, when you fight as a Senshi," Atsuko replied. Ami paused a few moments to give herself time to think of a good way to answer.

"It's very difficult at times," Ami said. "We've fought many monsters, and we've come close to losing at times."

"What do you do when you fight them?" her mother asked.

"The SaliorSenshi are made up of five of us, each named for our respective planet," Ami said. "I'm SailorMercury, and despite Mercury being so close to the Sun, I mostly use magical attacks made up of ice and water."

"It always returns to water, then," Atsuko mumbled, puzzling Ami momentarily. The older woman looked at her briefly, then said, "I'm sorry. Continue, please."

"Well, umm, SailorVenus is another of the Senshi. She fights using her Venus Crescent Beam and Venus Love Me Chain. I'm not really sure what her attacks are composed of, but they seem to be physical in nature. And then there's SailorMars, many of her attacks are aligned with fire. Then there's SailorJupiter, she has power over elemental lightning magic. Our leader is SailorMoon. She fights with the love and understanding she holds for everyone in her heart's depths."

Atsuko glanced at her daughter briefly, and Ami grew uncomfortable under the scrutiny. The older woman then said, "When you fight those monsters, Ami, what is it that you fight for?"

Ami thought for a few moments before replying, "The Senshi fight for love and justice. We fight for other people's happiness and to keep the world safe."

Atsuko smiled sadly and removed her arm, crossing both her arms in front of her. "I used to fight monsters, too, before you were born. I fought for fame and recognition, for respect and to help other people. I used to get into a lot of trouble, too, but I never regret a moment of it."

Ami looked up at her mother, a quizzical expression on her face. "Are you saying... Are you saying that I should fight not just for others... but for myself?" she asked.

"Something like that. Just.... Whenever you're off fighting, always remember what you're fighting for. I fought a long battle full of many hardships not too long ago because I believed in you and what you stood for in my life. You're a senshi now, a soldier, so you need to know what you believe in and fight for what that stands for in your life."

Smiling, Ami said, "I guess that hardship's not over, yet, is it?" Atsuko grinned in return.

"No, I guess it's not, is it?" Atsuko replied. "You've still got a long time to go before you head out for college. Speaking of which, you should probably go inside and get ready for school. You've got a long day ahead of you, don't you? Here, a kiss before you go."

Atsuko pulled her close and kissed her on the forehead. After giving her mother a kiss on the cheek, Ami went inside to prepare for her day.

*********************

The walk from Minato-ku was usually a quiet affair, as Ami usually arrived to school before her other friends did. Today, though, Ami found herself walking with Kensuke when he walked by her on his way to the train station.

"What are you doing all the way out here?" she asked him. Kensuke carried a fairly large travel pack and looked ready to travel for days in the wilderness.

"I'm tracking someone down," he replied. "There's a legendary martial artist who lives in Japan, his name is Saotome Ranma. He was at the Martial Arts Computer Repair competition, but he disappeared before I could catch him. I was so close, last time, too!"

"Saotome Ranma? You know my father?" Ami stopped in the sidewalk and looked to Kensuke, unsure of what to say.

"What?" exclaimed Kensuke, surprised by the revelation. "Saotome-san... He's your father?" Surprised that she had been thinking aloud, Ami nodded in the affirmative, keeping her gaze focused on Kensuke's expression.

Kensuke grimaced, flinching away from her view. "I'm sorry, Ami, but I must fight you on behalf of the honor of my family," he said softly. "I must find Saotome Ranma and bring justice to him at any cost!"

Ami's eyes widened as she watched Kensuke prepare to lunge at her. When he did move, his motion abruptly halted, brought to rest by a hand grasped tightly to the back of his shirt.

"Kensuke, what do you think you're doing?" asked the woman who had stopped him.

"Kuonji-san! What are you doing here?" Kensuke replied.

"I was just asking you the same thing," the older woman retorted. "Now, what are you doing attacking this nice young girl?"

Kensuke growled lowly before speaking. "I was searching for Saotome Ranma before I ran into Mizuno-sempai. She said Saotome-san is her father, so I was going to fight her."

"He's her father?" Kuonji-san said with a sharp intake of breath. The woman's eyes focused sharply on Ami's own, and she could not help but feel she had seen this person before. _Wasn't she the woman with my mother at the competition?_

Kuonji-san frowned, and Ami assumed the woman held a contemplative mood about her. Her eyes softened some, and she released Kensuke and looked briefly between them. The woman focused on her again.

"Sorry about this, ahh... Mino-san?" Kuonji said with a bow.

"Mizuno Ami," Kensuke said, speaking up for her.

"Yes... Sorry about this, Mizuno-san. Kenchan has not learned all his manners properly and still lacks some of the more important lessons in socializing properly with others." Kuonji-san said, beginning again.

"Hey! What do you mean by that?" Kensuke shouted in reply.

Kuonji-san ignored him, continuing her apology. "Kensuke is a little over-enthusiastic about martial arts, a trait that can be attributed to myself and his mother. I'll make sure he doesn't try to start another fight with you."

"Oh, my." Ami felt her face turn pink with embarrassment. "It's alright, Kuonji-san. I mean, nothing happened, we weren't fighting.... We weren't going to fight, um...." Not knowing how to continue, Ami tried changing the subject. "What are you doing here, Kuonji-san? I'm afraid my mother's not going to be home until after dark tonight. I mean, ah..."

Kuonji-san had turned away from her to look at Kensuke for a moment, but she turned quickly to face her after her statement, the woman's eyes focusing sharply on her, searching for some answer. The woman spoke carefully in reply. "As a matter of fact, I did come here in search of someone. I think it can wait, though. I have to get Kensuke home first so he doesn't miss the entire school day. Do you know where I could find Saotome-san? I needed to give him something."

Her embarrassment ebbing, Ami nodded in the negative and said, "Iie, I don't know where he'd be. I don't actually see him very often. Is it important? I could ask my mother where he is, I think she keeps in touch with him."

"No," Kuonji-san said, speaking clearly. "That's alright, I'll come back another day. Come on, Kensuke."

Kensuke looked at her once more, then turned and followed Kuonji-san, absently saying, "Hai, sensei, I'm on my way."

Ami watched them long enough to see them reach the intersection on their way back to the station, then turned and continued walking to school.

*********************

Less than two hours had passed since she arrived at school, and already Ami could tell it would be a bad day. The final scores of the latest practice entrance exams were in, this time for preparing students to enter the prestigious Shubun High School near Minato-ku, the apartments where she and her mother lived. Some students would be awed by her scores, and congratulate her and ask her how she could get such high scores, and most students would be so absorbed in their own scores they wouldn't register the name with the top score until after she'd gone back to class. Even still, there were those groups of people who would notice her score and ridicule and accuse her because of them. All she could do was ignore them.

Well, that's how it always was before. Today, though, the entire school seemed to be out to get her.

The day actually started out fine, though Ami thought that more than a few people were accidentally bumping into her in the halls. The stares she was getting from her peers did nothing to alleviate the dark premonition looming in the darkness of her mind. The whole situation seemed ready to blow itself out of proportion. By the end of the day, Ami thought her classmates might be mad at her.

It all started with the simple fact that the teachers were withholding the students' scores so they could more efficiently teach their classes. The tension built over the latent time, yet the teachers refused to release the scores during lunch hour.

Ten minutes before last hour ended, the scores for Ami's grade level was released. People flooded the halls to reach the bulletin board and find their grades. Being one of the first out of their class, Ami reached the board quickly and looked up her grade. Not long after, Umino appeared from the classroom, clutching a paper tightly in his hand.

"Look, I found this in Ami's desk! It's a cheat sheet with all the answers to yesterday's test!" shouted Umino to the crowd. An uproar arose from the multitude as her peers questioned her morality and the validity of her scores.

"I knew it! No one that smart would hang around Usagi," she heard from a boy standing near Umino. Too embarrassed to turn around and face the speaker, Ami stayed quiet and hoped the commotion would be over soon.

"Hey, that's not true!" shouted Usagi-chan, who came with Naru so they could read their grades together. "There's no one I know smarter than Ami-chan. She wouldn't cheat on an exam!"

"Umino, what are you doing!" shouted Naru, pulling on Umino's arm to try and lower it. "Why are you doing this? You know Ami wouldn't cheat!"

"What's the trouble?" asked Makoto, who likely jogged over from the other side of the field when she saw the commotion stirring.

"Get out of my way!" shouted one of the boys at Makoto, shoving her to enforce his point.

"You wanna go somewhere?" Makoto shouted back in his face. She picked him up by his collar and threw him over her shoulder.

"Please, don't fight, Mako-chan! You could get in trouble! Come on, minna, let's just leave." Ami didn't like the direction the situation seemed headed toward. Grabbing Usagi and Makoto's hands, she pulled them out of the crowd to go home.

Safely away from the school, Ami let go of Usagi and Makoto and continued to walk home.

"Hey, Ami, why didn't you let me fight them? You shouldn't let them spread rumors like that!" shouted Makoto, still angry over what happened.

"It's okay, Makoto. I don't want you to get in trouble for fighting again," she said. "I don't have a problem with it. I can't believe I missed a question, after studying for the test so hard!" Ami smiled to reassure them.

"You still shouldn't let them talk about you like that," Makoto said. "Even if it doesn't bother you, it bothers me that people are talking about you that way. Right Usagi?"

"Yeah, I totally agree. You're really smart, Ami-chan. Don't let people put you down like that, it's not fair to you."

"Thank you, Usagi-chan, Mako-chan," Ami said, and her smile felt genuine.

"Everyone!" a young voice shouted at them from a distance.

"Chibi-Usa!" shouted Usagi, turning and waving at her. Chibi-Usagi ran toward them, a small book bag strapped to her back and Luna-P following her in the air.

"Everyone," Chibi-Usa said when she came nearer. "I heard a rumor today and I couldn't believe it! Is it true that you cheated on your practice exam, Ami-san?"

"What? Where did you hear such a thing, Chibi-Usa?" Usagi asked her.

"Who told you that?" Makoto asked forcefully.

"Don't worry about it, everyone. It's not true, Chibi-Usa. Someone is just trying to make trouble for me at school." Ami looked away, then said, "I'll see you all tomorrow, I need to get home soon. Mother might be getting home early today."

She ran off quickly, hoping no one could see how upset she felt.

*********************

After jogging a few blocks down the street, Ami slowed down before turning the corner. There were a lot of students walking down the path, and suspicion told her they had been expecting her and waited for her appearance.

Walking a ways down the street, Ami tried not to listen to what they were saying. All of it seemed centered around the posted grades, and much of the gossip included the authenticity of her score.

"Did you hear about the false scores?"

"Seems everyone's getting top scores all of a sudden."

"... and if she's such a smart girl, what's she doing with _those_ losers?"

"I don't believe a word of it. The only ones defending her are her friends, and they don't even have a third of her score!" 

"... cheater! I can't believe I never saw it before."

Finally, she had enough of what they had to say, and she turned quickly into an alley when no one was watching her.

A figure jumped across from the rooftop of a nearby building to watch her from above.

All the tension of the disastrous school day and the unfair treatment for her grades settled upon her mind then. Leaning against the building, she let herself drop to the floor, taking enough care that her uniform didn't scrape against the wall as she fell.

"...." _How could this have happened? Why is it happening all over again?_ Ami clutched her knees close to her, sobbing deeply but as quietly as she could manage. The accusations of her peers hurt her deeply, and reminded her of a previous incident that had been very similar.

Yet these students had no previous record for creating mischief. Ami knew they were not being honest, yet she also knew that Umino did not normally have the capacity to boldly lie and humiliate another student. Slowly, Ami's sobs died down as her analytical mind took over and she carefully analyzed what she considered to be a unique situation at Juban Junior High.

_Most of the students who are accusing me of cheating go to the same new cram school that just opened up. Is it possible that Esmeraude is using that as a dark energy source?_ thought Ami.

Standing up and reaching into her bag for a handkerchief in her school bag, Ami dried her tears as best she could and dusted off her uniform some before running in the direction of the new cram school.

*********************

"Hello? .... Is this the Kaminari School? .... Is anyone inside?"

Ami wearily entered the Kaminari School of Learning, , unsure of what she may find inside. The rooms were dark, and despite the Open sign on the door, Ami could not see anyone inside. Pausing for a moment of thought, Ami decided that transforming and calling the other Senshi may be the safer course of action for the duration of her inspection.

Pressing a button on her communicator, Ami waited for the device to chirp its readiness before leaving her message. "Everyone, I'm at the Kaminari School of Learning. I think Esmeraude may be using it to spread Dark Power. Please, get here as soon as you can." Allowing the device to go silent, Ami stepped inside and walked through the corridors, looking through the classrooms.

Inside the third room to her left, Ami found two droids that appeared identical to each other. Stepping forward, Ami struck a pose and shouted, "You, there! I am the Sailor Mercury! For using a school to spread evil thoughts and corrupt people's minds, I will punish you!"

Fro a brief moment, Ami thought she heard a noise behind her, maybe even the sound of footsteps walking down the hall, but she ignored it, having previously determined no other person had entered the building before her. Instead, she refocused her attention on the droids before her.

The droids grinned and stepped forward, then quickly rushed toward her. _I must defeat them. What can I use?_ Perusing quickly through her current arsenal of magical attacks, Ami settled on her Shabon Spray.

With a shout of "Shabon Spray Freezing!" a torrential blast of water streamed forth from SailorMercury's outstretched hands, colliding heavily with the two droids. When the attack was over and the water dissipated, the droids were gone. Ami took a few steps forward, but more droids began appearing, drifting upward through the floor. Backing up, Ami is unsure of how to proceed until a possible improvisation comes to her in the form of an idea.

_If I bend the magic, I may be able to set off two Shabon Sprays at once. They may not be powerful enough to stop them, but I could hit more. Maybe... No, I need to separate the streams of magic into each of my hands. Like this..._

Facing the oncoming droids with increasing determination, SailorMercury outstretched her hands once more, pointing each at the droids but so the attack would cover more area. "Double Shabon Spray Freezing!" she yelled, releasing the attack with a ferocity that overcame the greater number of droids in the room.

A few droids were still left in the room, but they suddenly vanished, momentarily leaving her seeing an afterimage of ethereal quality. _The droids.... They weren't real. Then where is the real one?_

Jupiter, Mars, and Venus entered the room just then, and SailorMercury turned quickly to meet them, surprised by their entrance.

"Where are they?" asked SailorJupiter as soon as she entered the room.

"Be careful," SailorMercury said. "This place is full of Dark Power, and the droid has very special powers. It may return at any time, so watch for it."

"Thank goodness you're safe, Mercury," said SailorVenus. "It must not be too powerful if you were able to drive it off by yourself."

Ami bristled at the implied insult, but kept quiet. She knew what the girl meant to say. The droids had recently become very powerful, and quiet often teamwork became the key to defeating any single instance of them.

"Yeah, you are pretty weak on your own, Mercury," said SailorJupiter.

"N-Nani?" Ami turned to her in shock, hurt by the statement.

"I mean, I've never seen you take a youma or droid down on your own, or even severely hurt one. Venus is right, you're lucky you could survive a battle without us."

"What do you mean?" Ami asked, unwilling to believe this conversation was even taking place. Denial set into her deeply, and she turned to Rei, the only Senshi in the room who had not spoken yet.

"I think you know what we mean, Ami!" shouted SailorMars heatedly. "You're weak, much too weak to be an effective fighter. You think you're really pretty and try to act so cute, and you're always flaunting your grades! News flash! You're not all that pretty, Ami. And you can't even stop studying!"

"A-Artemis?" she asked tentatively.

"The Senshi were right, Ami. I can't believe you brought us all the way out here to blame everything on a cram school instructor inflicted with Dark Power! That's no real excuse for being found out by Umino." Artemis stared at her intently.

"Why are you all doing this?" she questioned, fearing the answer. An impulsive force drove her down and back onto the floor, leaving Ami with the sensation of having been punched hard in the gut. _I must... destroy those who threaten me.... Never let them find a weakness_....

"Why don't you just shut up?" shouted SailorMars. "I don't want to hear your petty excuses! Just accept you were wrong and we can all go home!"

"Oh look, she's going to cry," SailorVenus said in a lilting voice. "Are we making you cry? Oh, you're such a baby!"

"Listen, tramp. I don't care if you cheated or not. You tell me what's going on and give me one good reason for bringing us here or I'm going to beat you right now!" yelled SailorJupiter, advancing on Ami and getting threatening her with a fist raised before her.

"No! Away from me! Stay back!" She crawled backward on her hands, then pushed herself up and through her friends, turning back around to face them when she stood in the doorway.

"What the hell-?" said Mars.

"Oh, what now?" Venus mused loudly.

"Ami, think before you start acting-" Artemis began saying. Makoto cut him off before he could finish.

"What do you think you're doing? You think you'll be safe by running away? Get back here!"

"No-!" Ami began, halting, sobbing. She felt tears running down her face. "IIAN! I won't let you.... Shine... Aqua..."

"Oh, shit, I think she's going to attack!" shouted SailorVenus. Carrying Artemis on one shoulder, the Senshi of Venus quickly turned around and headed to where SailorMars had opened a window and was already climbing outside. SailorJupiter hastily followed after her, and the three of them narrowly avoided Ami's attack.

*********************

Ami took a moment to calm herself after the incident of attacking her friends, then walked to the window. Looking outside, she saw the Senshi looking up at her and heard their taunting.

"You nasty girl! Did you actually think you could hurt me with that? You're pathetic!" shouted SailorVenus.

"When I get a hold on you, I'm going to flame broil you! Let's see if you like a Burning Mandala as much as you like your Shining Aqua Illusion!" shouted SailorMars.

"Hah! _Pathetic!_ What a weak, lame attack! Let's see you come down here and try that again. My Thunder Dragon can take on your water blast any day!"

"Soldiers are supposed to fight evil, not cheat and attack their friends! For love and justice, I am SailorMoon! And you're going down, scum!" shouted SailorMoon. _Even Usagi,_ thought Ami. _Could it be that I'm just hallucinating? Is it the Dark Power? Why does it seem so real?_

"Oh, I just love when friends turn on each other!" spoke another voice, and for a moment Ami could not identify it. _That was the droid speaking. Where is it?_

Jumping over the window sill, SailorMercury landed on the ground outside and looked around her. All four of the other Senshi were there, and so was the droid, another duplicate like the ones she'd fought earlier. SailorMoon hurried over to her, waving the Cutie Moon Rod menacingly. "SailorMercury! Don't think you're going to get off easily for attacking the others! I'm going to clobber you for that!"

Backing up when SailorMoon approached, Mercury flinched and pushed the girl away, sending her tumbling to the ground. She watched carefully as SailorMoon stood up and spoke again, but the words no longer seemed to match her face. _The droid must be doing this to me. Could it be attuning itself to me and controlling what I perceive?_

"No..." she whispered, confusing SailorMoon with her statement. Ami prepared her attack, watching the droid so she could be sure to get a clear shot and hit it.

"Shine Aqua Illusion!" SailorMercury shouted, hitting the unsuspecting droid full-force with her attack, and staggering it.

"You can't trick me so easily!" shouted SailorMercury. "The power of our friendship is much too powerful for you to overcome. The Senshi would never turn on me like that, and I know they all believe in me. SailorMoon! Finish it off, quickly!"

SailorMoon nodded quickly, taking the opportunity to prepare her attack on the droid.

"Moon Princess Halation!" In a series of maneuvers which involved much circular movement via the twisting and turning of her arms, SailorMoon completed her attack and exterminated the droid.

"You did a wonderful job today, Senshi," said Tuxedo Kamen. "You won today because of your trust and belief in friendship. I admire your faith in each other." Turning where he stood, Tuxedo Kamen walked away from them, presumably on his way home.

"I'm sorry, everyone," Ami said. "I was infected by the Dark Power, I didn't believe in you all. I heard what the droid wanted me to hear, and because of my weakness, I almost hurt you guys."

"Don't say that, Mercury! We won because you trusted in our friendship, and you attacked the droid. Love and Justice still persevered in the end!"

Ami smiled for Usagi. She tried so hard to keep everyone happy. One thought persisted in Ami's mind, though. _Persevered?_

*********************

Yui watched as Mizuno Ami passed by her location on the way home. Yui had followed Ami home from school, and also followed her into the cram school, where the other girl transformed into SailorMercury. It was disappointing that she had not also been able to catch the identities of the other Senshi, but dying in a monster battle would not help her revenge in the least bit.

"So Mizuno's really SailorMercury. I can use this to my advantage. She won't run away or call her friends for help if she knows her identity is on the line. Next time, Ami, I'll fight you for sure!" Yui cackled loudly into the night as she hopped away on the rooftops.

*********************

"Okay, now that you've learned that, we're going to go back to the sparring exercises. Remember what you learned about defending yourself, and I want to see you perform each attack I taught you at least once on me before we're through. Any questions before we begin?"

Ami looked at her mother, a somewhat blank look on her face. Ami had just arrived home from school, only to find her mother had also arrived home, and wished to continue her training since they both had time. Having mostly overcome the overemotional state she had been after leaving the cram school. Ami agreed, hoping it would completely take her mind off the earlier battle between herself and her friends. She was curious about one aspect of her training, though.

"Mother," Ami began. "Sensei, why aren't you sending me to the gym anymore? The first few weeks you started training me, we went over to Tateko's Weightlifting Gym and spent a few hours exercising, at least every other day. But now, we don't go anymore."

"The weightlifting? You could keep doing it if you want to. I just wanted to see how strong you are and how long you could endure. Those are very important aspects that would help me if I'm going to train you quickly and correctly."

"Oh," Ami said, not understanding how that would really help at all.

"Anything else, Ami-chan? We need to finish quickly if you want to get to your study session on time. Remember, you have to use each attack on me at least once."

"Hai, sensei. I'm ready now," Ami said.

"Good-"

"-But, don't I need to learn the names of the attacks? What they are?" Ami asked, curiously.(1)

"What? You mean you don't know what a palm strike is? A spin kick? An arm bar?"

Ami shook her head slowly, indicating her lack of recognition in regard to the various attacks Atsuko had named off. Of course she knew what a palm strike was, but the other terms were still more or less new to her.

"Oh, boy. This is going to take a while," Atsuko mumbled, arms crossed and head facing the floor. She looked up and said, "Hey, don't worry about it now. I'll teach you about all that stuff later, okay? For now, you just need to know how to attack and defend, and what you're capable of in a fight. Ready?"

Pushing her concerns to the side, Ami readied herself and nodded to her foster mother. The older woman rushed forward in a straight attack on her being, and Ami quickly dodged to the side and pushed her mother's arm to the side to translate the woman's kinetic energy in another direction. The rest of the night flew by quickly.

*********************

Author's Notes:

(1)All right, I have to admit this now. Better than waiting until later. I have no viable writing experience when it comes to writing fighting scenes, so in order to disguise my own inexperience, and since this fic is primarily told in Ami's first- and third-person perspective, I have depicted Ami much as I am myself - inexperienced, possibly even incapable of describing battle.

Thanks go to my current prereader, TerraEpon.

C&C welcome at laqjr_200@hotmail.com   
  



	7. Chapter 6

http://www.geocities.com/laqjr/ahs/index.html

* * *

[Ranma/SM]

Hailstorm - Chapter 6

by Laqjr

Written: October 22, 2003

* * *

(Author's Notes)

Heh, been a while, hasn't it? I apologize most sincerely for not having kept my deadlines. Anyway, this and the next two chapters assume that Ryoga said absolutely nothing of importance in Chapter 3.

Before I continue, there's a few things I really need to tell you. You see, the characters in this story don't belong to me. Yes, that's right, Ranma1/2, its characters, and its story belong to Rumiko Takahashi and several other entities who have claimed rights on it. And SailorMoon? Well, that belongs to Naoko Takeuchi, as well as several other entities. Also, Cultural Cat Girl Nuku Nuku belongs to Yuzo Takada, as well as, you guessed it, several entities who have rights to the work for publishing and other stuff. You know, the entities behind a work are quite hard to keep track of, so I'll just stick to knowing the author behind the story.

I would also like to take this time to mention that this story wouldn't have been possible if not for Dark Phoneix's 'Who's Your Daddy?' DP has kindly allowed me to use parts of the prologue to his story in creating my own prologue. I'd also like to mention Rift120 as well, who created the original idea behind 'Who's Your Daddy?'

This story would never have progressed as far as it has without the help of my prereaders, Josh Kaufman and Siobham L. R. Ward. I thank them both sincerely, and appreciate their help even more with every chapter.

Now on to your daily dose of fanfiction.

* * *

Crystal Tokyo - Part I  
Return from the Past

* * *

After nearly two months of waking up to her mother's early morning regimen, a nice, peaceful morning seemed almost breathtaking in its simplicity. The idea of not having to get up to those murderous exercises in training felt so nice, Ami very nearly didn't get out of bed. What was one day of school, after all, when she was ahead of her class in every subject?

The idea of missing school didn't sit very well, though, and in the end, Ami forced herself to get out of bed and prepare for her day. She could probably allow herself some leeway and just be late to class - the teacher would excuse it as her first time being late, so there was no worry about detention or some other penalty. Savoring the current moment would be worth the small consequences caused for indulging herself.

On her way out the door, a full five minutes later than she usually left, Ami was caught by surprise by two strangers who were at her doorstep. The shorter of the two women wore crisp dark gray dress pants and a blue dress shirt, while the other was decked out in a pair of casual brown pants and a dark green shirt, which by the look of it was designed to allow the wearer great flexibility in movement while remaining formal enough in appearance to be wearable to most casual functions. The colors were a strange choice, though.

They seemed as surprised to see her as she felt at seeing them. The taller woman, whose brown hair was much darker than her companion's, merely glanced at her before turning away and mumbling too low for her to make out the words.

"Hahahaha, excuse my companion, please, Mizuno-san," spoke the other woman. "Um, we were wondering if Mizuno-sensei or Saotome-sensei was in right now. We only need a few moments of their time... um..."

"No, I'm sorry, my mother isn't in, and Saotome-sensei doesn't live here. Um, I have to go, I'm going to be late for school." The two women didn't budge, and Ami caught a glance of their badges to see what they said. 'Mishima Heavy Industries'. Not even their names, just the company logo.

The more polite of the two seemed to perk up to her response, but the other woman interrupted her. "Kyoko, he isn't here. We have to go find Kensuke before Tendo-san gets upset - you don't want him to get upset, do you?"

Kyoko turned away from her, and nodded to her companion. "You're right, we should go."

The two women left her at the doorstep, wondering who they were.

* * *

Ami walked alone down the two or three blocks left between her and her mother's apartment. The day had so far been fairly strange. On the one day Ami had ever been late to school, Usagi found the strength, will, and determination to arrive at school, and early! Though her tardiness drew stares from her classmates upon her arrival, the teacher had done nothing more than warn her about her next tardy, as expected. The most peculiar part of the day had yet to come, and Ami fairly bubbled in anticipation of her trip to the future with the other Senshi and Chibi-Usa.

A figure stood near the upcoming intersection, in a lot - was that the same lot Hibiki-san had shown up at, harassing her father? As Ami approached, she made out the figure to be none other than Omiaki Yui.

"Mizuno-san! So there you are! I've been waiting a few hours now for you to show up. What's taken you so long?" shouted Omiaki-san from where she stood.

Ami gripped her books tighter to herself, and approached the lot to inspect what the other girl was doing. Yui stood between several buckets and bottles, and each bucket was of a different size, holding drastically different quantities of water.

"How do you like this setup, Mizuno-san?" Yui asked cheerfully.

"Omiaki-sempai," she began carefully. "What, um. What are all these buckets for?"

"Heh. You'll see, soon enough. I'm running a little experiment here, nothing too harmful or long-lasting. Sort of like a magic trick. You see this bucket, here?"

Yui pointed at a bucket on her right with a gloved hand. Actually, very little of Yui's skin was exposed, from the rugged boots and baggy camo pants she wore to the face mask, goggles, and encircling cap she wore about her head. The white lab coat she wore about her silk blue blouse dominated most of her form, and briefly Ami wondered how she was even able to recognize the girl in the first place.

Looking closely at the bucket pointed out by Yui, Ami could see nothing exemplary about the water it held.

"Is there something wrong with the water?" she asked carefully, more aware now that there might seriously be something wrong with Omiaki-sensei's mental stability.

"Oh, no, there's nothing wrong about the water. It's just regular water, mixed with some of the stuff in this bottle. Nothing permanent, though."

"Oh," replied Ami, cordially. "So, um, what are you going to do with the water, then, Omiaki-sempai?"

Yui smiled at this question. "It's sort of like a magic trick. All you have to do is pick a bucket, and I'll show you what I mean. Hmm. Those books look expensive. You might want to put them somewhere safe and dry."

Uncertainty wavered within Ami's mind. Should she stay and find out what Omiaki-sempai was trying to do? Cautiously, she walked a few meters away and placed her books neatly on a concrete block next to the dividing fence of the lot. After walking back to where Yui stood, Ami carefully selected a nondescript-looking bucket on Yui's left. Yui smiled.

"An excellent choice, Mizuno-san. You seem like a girl who likes the ocean, and what better fate for you than becoming a turtle?" She held a bottle aloft, opened it, and stared her down. Her eyes captured by the other girl's menacing stare, Ami felt vulnerable, unable to move from whatever impending danger the bottle might bring.

The bottle might only look like it had water, but Ami knew better than to assume that was all it was. There were plenty of substances that, when combined, would look like water, or would sit in water without changing its appearance. Whatever lay within that bottle was, more likely than not, very hazardous to her health.

Yui glanced at the bottle in her hand, then spoke in a solemn tone. "This is my revenge. A petty revenge it may be, but after this, maybe you and I will be even. Maybe."

In a careful, precise motion of her arm, Yui swung the bottle around so that most of the contents of the water splashed her in her face and the blouse of her uniform. The shock of the cold water woke Ami from her entranced state, and for a few moments, Ami felt dizziness shoot through her, nearly enough to cause her to fall forward onto the buckets in front of her.

"Yui!" she shouted when her nerves and bearings were collected once more. "Ah, I'm all wet. Omiaki-sempai, did you have to throw the water in my face?" So preoccupied was she, that she did not immediately notice the echo of her words.

Actually, she wouldn't have noticed at all, if Yui hadn't been staring at her, then shooting a glance off to her left, alternating her gaze between herself and whatever else had caught her attention. Apprehension gripped Ami tightly, and she slowly turned to see what had caught Yui's attention.

There, standing before her, was a doppelganger. It was her very likeness, down to the uniform and the water trickling down her hair from recently having been splashed by a clear liquid substance. It shouldn't have been possible.

In what little snatched of sound that Ami caught, though she would not remember until later, Yui shouted quite clearly, "This was supposed to be Instant Turtle, not Instant Twin!"

Both Ami and her doppelganger turned quickly to the loud disturbance that was Omiaki Yui. The crazed girl decked out in lab gear glanced at them, then quickly grabbed a kettle, and Ami found herself splashed again by more water - this time the water was hot. She found herself disoriented by the new liquid, even worse than the dizzy spell that had held her before, and a strange sensation passed quickly through her body, up her nervous system, and triggered a moment of shock within her mind. Unable to retain her balance, Ami found herself crashing downward, down, down...

* * *

A loud pounding sounded on the door of Mizuno Atsuko. Wearily, she stood up from the table she'd been working at and walked to the door, unlocking and opening it wide. There before her stood a child, a bit taller than Ami and with brown hair, wearing a Juban girls' uniform. It was hard to tell, with the child still staring down at the floor, but to Atsuko it seemed the child was a boy. Maybe he was related to Tsubasa?

The boy looked up at her - yeah, definitely male - and Atsuko could tell he'd been crying. Maybe some bullies had been harassing him and dressed him up as a girl, or something? Did he know Ami, that he knew to come here?

"Mother..." the boy whispered, then jumped forward and grasped tightly to her. By the heart-wrenching sobs that came forth from the boy, something terrible had happened to him, and recently.

A sneaking suspicion crept into Atsuko's mind, and she carefully pulled the boy away from her. Tentatively, she questioned him. "Ami, Ami-chan, is that you?"

The boy nodded in response, and fear swept through Atsuko in droves. "Ami, come inside. Tell me what happened." She pulled him inside and closed the door behind them.

How on Earth could Ami have been splashed with Jusenkyo water?

Once inside, Atsuko quickly cleaned up the dinner table of its contents and settled Ami down before it. She left briefly into the kitchen, filling a kettle with water and placing it on the stove to heat up.

"Ami," Atsuko stated in a clear voice when she returned to the dining table. "Tell me what happened, from the beginning. How did you become a boy?"

Carefully, Ami related the tale of how, as a girl, she'd met with Omiaki-sempai in the nearby lot and how she'd been splashed with water that created doppelgangers, then fell into a bucket of water that changed her form into that of a boy's.

By now, the kettle had warmed sufficiently to be able to cause a Jusenkyo-induced change. Ami watched, puzzled, as she stood and retrieved the kettle and a cup, placing them on the table. Atsuko filled the cup halfway with the steaming water before sitting down.

Worrisome thoughts plagued Atsuko's mind when Ami completed the tale. It was obvious that the bottle that Yui had splashed in her daughter's face was Drowned Twin water, but equally obvious that it was Instant water, as Ami came home with no doppelganger. Unfortunately, it was also equally as obvious that when Ami had chosen a bucket of water, Yui used water from the bottle, instead. The reason for choosing the bottle over the bucket may have been the bottle was easier to use, but some impossible to quench suspicion darted through her mind that the water in the buckets were there because they were special, and that special quality most likely was their place of origin - the actual spring from Jusenkyo.

There was really only one way to test it out, though.

Testing the water in the cup, Atsuko found the water to be of a sufficient temperature. She turned to Ami, who had for the most part stopped crying, and was now looking at himself with a pained, but fascinated look in his eyes. He squirmed in his seat, clearly uncomfortable and unaccustomed with his new body. The boy would no doubt welcome his old body back. Too bad it might not be permanent. It seemed the Saotome lineage was destined for strange and peculiar lives.

"Ami," Atsuko said, getting the boy's attention. "This is hot water. Just splash yourself with this and it will reverse your curse. But-"

Ami halted in the motion of picking up the glass with his hand. Was there a price, or something?

Atsuko choked on what she wanted to say, then spoke again, her voice wavering. "But... If the water in that bucket is what I think it is... Ami, your curse will be triggered every time you are hit with cold water."

Ami stared at her for a few moments before voicing an opinion. "Mother... How do you know this?"

Atsuko looked away, then said, "Ami. I." She sighed, defeated. "We should make sure you are really cursed, first. I'll tell you after we find that out."

Ami nodded once, then grabbed the cup of now warm water and dumped the contents on his head. He gasped, and in moments, his form dissolved and reformed, and Mizuno Ami was herself once more.

Atsuko quickly rose before any more statements could be made, heading for the kitchen. The sound of the tap water running could be heard, and in moments, she returned to the table with another glass of water - this time, cold water. Ami backed away from it instinctively.

"Ami, I know you don't want to do this. I don't really want to know, either. But we've gotta find out - you have to know whether or not you'll change if you go swimming in the pool, or something. It's a pain, yeah, but it's better you know now than find out. later."

Atsuko placed the water on the table, and Ami slowly motioned to grab it, apprehension showing clearly in her eyes. She closed her eyes and upended the contents over her head.

* * *

That's it for now. Yeah, cliffhanger - and one that'll probably eat at you for a while. Did Mizuno Ami, senshi of water, just get a -Jusenkyo- curse? (And how, for that matter, with the spring waters destroyed?) It'll all be covered... eventually. 


	8. Chapter 7

http://www.geocities.com/laqjr/ahs/index.html

* * *

[Ranma/SM][2nd Draft]

Hailstorm - Chapter 7

by Laqjr

* * *

(Author's Notes)

Chapter 7, Second Draft. Like the other chapter, this was originally posted back in October 22, 2003 (though only those -really- searching for it could find it). That was the first draft, though. This second draft consists of several minor and one major change from the original. All the content is the same, but the presentation was changed to accomodate the plot I have in mind for the near future.

Before I continue, there's a few things I really need to tell you. You see, the characters in this story don't belong to me. Yes, that's right, Ranma1/2, its characters, and its story belong to Rumiko Takahashi and several other entities who have claimed rights on it. And SailorMoon? Well, that belongs to Naoko Takeuchi, as well as several other entities. Also, Cultural Cat Girl Nuku Nuku belongs to Yuzo Takada, as well as its other respective owners (publishers, and the like).

I would also like to take this time to mention that this story wouldn't have been possible if not for Dark Phoneix's 'Who's Your Daddy?' DP has kindly allowed me to use parts of the prologue to his story in creating my own prologue. I'd also like to mention Rift120 as well, who created the original idea behind 'Who's Your Daddy?'

I've never really mentioned it before, but (as I'm sure you've caught on to by now) this story will focus mainly on the SailorMoon portion of the crossover, with just a few elements from Ranma. Anything from Nuku Nuku is a direct result of fusing Ranma and Nuku Nuku universes, so there will be even less of them than of Ranma and crew.

* * *

Crystal Tokyo - Part II  
Unexpected Side Effects

* * *

Ami spent the rest of the day simply brooding. After her ordeal with Yui, she had no patience to drag whatever story her mother had been hiding from her. Why did their lives have to become so complicated? Atsuko had obviously had her own share of interesting adventures (how else could she know immediately how that water-based curse works but by coming into direct contact with a cursed individual?). Perhaps Ami had inherited these problems from her foster mother?

The Universe could be incredibly myopic at times.

Her friends found her at one of the various tables in the food court of the mall, sipping a chocolate milkshake and staring blankly at the tabletop. Ami received the surprise of her life when Usagi sneaked up behind her and popped a balloon over her head. She fairly jumped in her seat, then turned wide-eyed at the source of the disturbance, the mischievous girl from the moon, Tsukino Usagi-chan.

"Ami, are you alright?" Usagi asked innocently.

Rei bopped the girl on the head and said, "No, she's not okay, odango! You nearly scared her to death with that stupid balloon you got from the party store."

"Hey! Stop being so mean. You know you wanted one, too!" Usagi replied.

"No, I didn't! It's a waste of money, especially if you're just going to go around popping them all in people's ears!" Rei shot back.

Ami looked behind her at Minako and Makoto, who were snickering at her predicament. She turned back to watch Rei and Usagi continue arguing.

"Ya-ha, I know you wanted to see Ami jump from the balloon, too! You were grinning about it even before I got close to her!"

"You stupid girl, I was reading on our way here. I didn't even know what was going on until you popped the balloon!"

"Ah, Usagi?" Ami asked tentatively.

"You were not, I saw you looking up before I snuck up on her!" Usagi looked annoyed, and Rei incredulous. They stuck their tongues out and blew raspberries at each other, bringing the argument down to lower levels of maturity. Ami tried again to get their attention.

"Usagi!" Ami shouted, though soft enough that it did not carry far in the room.

"Huh? What is it, Ami?" Usagi asked, breaking out of the glare she had given Rei.

"Usagi, where's Chibi-Usa? Isn't she supposed to be with you?"

"Nuh-uh," replied Minako from behind her. "She said to go to the docks at the park when we're ready to leave. Chiba-san, you know, Mamoru, he's supposed to be with her. Hey, are you ready? We were going to go to your house to pick you up, but since you're here, we can just go to the park, and then to the future!"

Makoto had stopped paying attention to them, and Ami heard her say, "He looks like sempai, over there!" during the faint lull in their conversation.

"Oh, this is going to be so much fun! I wonder what's in the future - isn't this just so cool, everyone?" Usagi enthused.

Ami felt her embarrassment rising, and just nodded her head with Minako and Rei.

* * *

Kensuke stood in the Tendo-Shitori backyard and practiced a few of the moves he'd seen Ranma use at the tournament. Although not entirely sure on a few of them, Kensuke remembered most of what he'd seen, and much of it he was able to practice without help. For the rest he had turned to Kuonji Ukyo for help, since she claimed to know Ranma, and she'd been teaching him off and on for a few years now. His own mother was a martial artist, but she hadn't trained for so many years now, it would be impractical for him to enlist her help.

"Onii-chan," called the voice of his younger sister. Kensuke continued practicing, knowing that his sister had been told to bring him inside to face whatever ire had stuck their mother. 

A brief few moments of silence existed between them, before Kensuke's sister tried again. "Onii-chan, Mama wants to see you inside. It's important." 

Kensuke fell out of the repetition and turned to face his sister. "Whatever. Hey, Kimiko, whatever happened to that dumbass who's supposed to be your fiancé? Wasn't he supposed to come and beat me up? Or is he still too busy preserving the family legacy?" 

Kimiko frowned. "I don't know. He came over when you left. He said you ran out on him or something. And I don't like him any more than you do!"

Tendo Kimiko's fiancé, the great, wonderful, and astounding Saotome Seiji, was the second child of Saotome Genma and Nodoka. After the legend that was Saotome Ranma, Seiji had much to live up to in the eyes of his contemporaries. Unfortunately, with his rude proclamations and stubborn attitude, neither of Tendo Akane's children, nor many of his peers, ever thought he'd amount to much. Then Grandfather had to spring this engagement on them - what was it for, really?

The honor of the Anything Goes Martial Arts, of course. Saotome Ranma was the greatest practitioner of the school in his generation, and now that he disappeared, the responsibility of furthering the name of Anything Goes rested upon the students and children of Tendo Akane - and their dear friend, Saotome Seiji.

"Fine," Kensuke said, ignoring his sister's declaration. He walked past her and entered the house, heading toward the master bedroom. Upon entering, he saw his mother, Tendo Akane, working on a paper that rested on the desk before her.

"Hey, Mom." Kensuke gave the room a quick glance. His father still hadn't returned from his job at Tokyo U as an IT professor. Horrid as the thought may be, Kensuke had learned two years before that his parents met in Tokyo University, when his mother attended as a freshman. His father had been teaching as a new adjunct professor...

And Kensuke was later born. Kensuke's attention snapped back to reality when he saw his mother looking at him. She didn't look too happy. Probably had something to do with his jaunt to Juban without telling anyone.

"Kensuke, you've been searching for information on Saotome Ranma again, haven't you? Your father and I have told you, many times, don't go looking for trouble, and especially not involving him! There's a whole world of martial artists, and plenty that are just as good and better than he ever was! I don't want you obsessing over him and disappearing on me again!"

Yup, she was angry about his disappearance again Of course it probably had something to do with Kuonji-sensei being the one to have found him and brought him home. If there was anything that angered Kensuke's mother more than comments on her cooking, it was about her past and rivalries against Ranma and the other suitors for his heart. It made for interesting stories, ones that were hard to pull out from his mother, but everything he learned from Kuonji-sensei seemed to be true, if his mother's reactions to hearing said stories were any indication.

Of course, Kuonji-sensei did have a way of exaggerating the truth in her favor.

"Okay, I won't disappear again. It was just a small detour on the way home from visiting Aunt Nabiki."

His mother's mood diminished to a far worse degree of dissatisfaction at hearing the name of her older sister. Natsume Nabiki was not often a welcome subject in the Tendo-Shitori household. Akane's marriage to Shitori Kenji was viewed as a disgrace in the eyes of Tendo Soun, and Nabiki had been named the inheritor of the dojo and its compound. As Kensuke had heard from his teacher, Kuonji-sensei, she and Akane had a little fight not long afterward, causing much damage in the immediate vicinity, and since that time, Akane had not been welcome at the Tendo compound.

"Go to your room, then, and don't come out until it looks decent," snapped his mother as she turned back to face her desk. "There'll be no more practicing for next month's tournament if you can't handle your chores."

"Right, doing it," called Kensuke. He tore out of the room as quickly as possible.

* * *

Tendo Nabiki, beautiful, intelligent, and next heir to the empire known as Mishima Heavy Industries, was currently at her desk, deep in thought. She'd just had a very informed visit from her two flunkies and closest friends. Ranma really was living in Juban. It was a clumsy mistake on his part to choose to live so close to Nerima, even after all the time that passed. Did he really think he could escape her detection while living in the center of one of the most chaotic districts in Tokyo?

Maybe it was time she amended the problems that plagued her family. Allowing her problems time to fix themselves hardly did more than prolong the situation, and getting others to do the work for her had proven time and time again to be the wrong way to approach a potentially disastrous problem. She did not want to create any more problems than she currently already knew about.

Her sister wasn't too happy with her and Father, for one. Though it was mostly Akane's own doing, she had lost the dojo to Nabiki when she married that professor she'd seduced at Tokyo U, the same one who had helped Nabiki get her job starting out as a secretary for a well known scientist in Mishima Heavy Industries. Which brought her to the interesting situation with her husband, her son, and that living cat-cyborg guardian of theirs. Could she really consider that cyborg, her long-time rival in earning her family's trust and affection, as part of her own growing family?

The last she had seen of him, her son was doing just fine under his father's care. That was a situation she could probably put off for a little longer. Now, her other situation, the one involving her past lover... That one did not look to be easily resolvable. In fact, by the very information she had been receiving in the past few months, it looked like she may have to finally step in and take responsibility for her actions.

It was time she faced the problems she helped create all those many years ago.

* * *

"Sorry about being late," apologized Tuxedo Mask when he reappeared in the mists, Chibi-Usa at his side. "I couldn't find my way through the wind."

The Senshi and their two moon cat advisors discussed the droid attack they had just fended off. Why was there a droid in the tunnel? Were there any more droids ahead of them? What did Chibi-Usa's mother look like?

SailorMercury turned away from the scene to look at the entrance before them. Behind these gates lay their future. What traps lie in wait for them?

"Hey," said SailorJupiter, placing a gloved hand on her shoulder. "You okay, Mercury?"

She looked back at her comrade, dazed from her stupor. "What did you say, Jupiter?"

The Senshi of Jupiter frowned at her response, then said, "We're ready to go through, now. Come on." She turned and walked toward the rest of the group.

SailorMercury followed quickly behind her. With a nod from SailorMoon, Tuxedo Mask stepped forward and pushed open the gates.

All around them were the ruins of a once beautiful city. Crystal shards and building walls lay at dangerous angles, pointing angrily toward the darkening skies. Mists swamped the land, and even nearby structures were hard to make out. Ami estimated the furthest away she could see to about 15 meters in the distance.

Yet, even with the encompassing mists and harsh visibility, one structure still rose proudly in sharp contrast to the surrounding waste. In the distance, a tall building seemingly built entirely of crystal stood shining in the darkness of the sky.

SailorMercury took a few steps away from the group to get a better look at it, when Chibi-Usa broke out in a run for the edifice, her little ball, Luna-P, following after her.

"Chibi-Usa!" shouted SailorMoon, and in moments they were all after her. The other Senshi all shouted to Chibi-Usa to stop, wait, and not to get lost in the fog. SailorMercury followed as quickly as she could, making use of her visor to track the other Senshi and to filter better visibility through the fog.

Suddenly the other Senshi disappeared from her tracker. Rounding the bend she had seen SailorVenus take, SailorMercury came to a slow halt as she realized there were two paths, and she had no idea which to follow. Logically, she assumed they had headed in the direction of the castle, but what may seem the shorter path may actually be a dead end, whereas the other may take the long way around to the castle... or may lead away from it entirely. For some reason, SailorMercury could not shake the feeling that she'd visited this particular area before.

"This is the old site of Juban Junior High School," spoke a voice behind her in explanation. "You used to go to school there, many years ago."

SailorMercury turned, spooked, readying her Senshi powers for a possible attack. She gasped at who she saw. It was... It was Saotome Ranma, her father. How did he get to the future?

The man smiled sadly at her, and his form wavered, allowing her an ethereal view of the landscape behind him.

"Hey, Ami-chan. I didn't expect to see you return so soon. It's only been a few years since you last visited. Things have finally begun to settle down since your latest ordeal in the castle."

He was a ghost, essentially. That's what he appeared to be. SailorMercury watched him approach, awaiting any sudden movements of hostility. Could this be a new type of demon or monster sent to attack her?

"You haven't lived much of a normal life, huh? My fault, probably. There are so many things that could have been done differently. A world of infinite possibilities. But we live in Crystal Tokyo now. I guess it means this is the best possible outcome. At least, that's what I've been told."

Ami stood her ground, watching the apparition before her. He walked straight through a pile of rubble, his body simply flowing through the material in a mellifluous manner.

"Don't you wish you could be normal? You could be rid of all these enchantments and magical changes, and be just another girl. You'd never have to transform again. I can cure you. I can alter your fate."

Ami nodded hesitantly, but otherwise made no other change in her proximity to him. Her earlier wariness ebbed away, as though the very mists they were surrounded by were responsible for its slow dispersal.

The apparition moved closer of it own accord. "All you have to do... Just trust me, Ami." He stood about 70cm (2'4") away from her, and held out his hand. Ami grasped it firmly, perplexed at how solid his hand felt. The apparition grinned. "Even the resolve of the mighty must break someday, ne? "

Ranma briefly pulsed with dark violet light, pushing the light through his arm and into her. Her eyes widened, though only briefly. And then she was falling, falling... Darkness swept over her, and she closed her eyes...

* * *

Mizuno Ami walked down Yamano, basking in the afternoon sun. For reasons she could not recall, Ami had left her books behind at an abandoned lot near home. Amazingly enough, she found her books where she had left them. As the day was so beautiful, Ami decided to go to the park for a while. The names escaped her for the moment, but she was supposed to meet some friends there. Maybe they could tell her why she had been feeling strange all day.

Some of her books were fairly technical. Among the regular subjects she and her peers studied in her year, there was an advanced Physics course book that looked to be recycled from one of the local high schools, and a Literature book that was completely in English (she could understand that much, but actually reading the book would be a daunting task, and not one she felt she was up to). It begged the question as to why she had borrowed the books in the first place.

Another curiosity was the presence of Ryoga's bandana among her books. Why on earth would she have one of Hibiki-sensei's bandanas? She certainly hadn't been training in the Cloth duplication trick, and the little trick with his razor sharp bandanas were easy to duplicate. So why did she have it?

Really, the matter wasn't important enough to merit much thought. Hibiki-sensei wouldn't care much about the missing bandana, and it would make a good enough weapon on its own if she ran into another one of those monsters that were now plaguing Juban. What were they called, youma? They were usually only defeated by the Sailor Senshi, anyway.

Rounding the corner of Yamano and Kuriko, Ami could see a formidable onyx crystal forming clearly in the distance. It rose high above the surrounding buildings and structures, and the sunlight seemed to reflect _shadows_ off of its edges. It was a lovely sight to behold, if a bit dreary in presentation.

After walking a distance further toward the giant crystal, the young girl came across her intended destination. There, in the park, was a monster which repulsed her at first sight. It was humanoid and female in shape, but the body was made up of a murky, indistinguishable membrane. Instantly her thoughts of investigating the giant crystal vanished. Ami placed her books on a bench alongside the park's edge as she watched the monster before her. Its looks were formidable, but youma rarely put up a fight worth mentioning beyond their supernatural endurance and stubborn refusal to retreat.

"Here I come," Ami whispered to herself as she dashed in to fight the youma.

* * *

AN: Interesting outcome isn't it? I'm not so sure how the rest of the story will be handled just yet. It's coming together though. I've got several ideas in the work for chapter 8, though I haven't planned out what I'll write for 9 yet. So what just happened? It should be explained in 8. 


End file.
